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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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02-05-19 | Kings v. Devils -130 | 5-1 | Loss | -130 | 9 h 14 m | Show | |
The Kings are a fade for me here after pulling out an improbable 4-3 road win against the Rangers last night. The Kings have the fewest road wins in the Western Conference and rank second-to-last in scoring. LA might also be missing one its best players with Jeff Carter questionable after sufering a lower-body injury against the Rangers. The Devils are 13-7 at home. The Kings are 4-11 in their last 15 road games when facing an opponent with a winning home record. The Kings haven't won two straight games since December. New Jersey is likely to go with Keith Kinkaid in net. He is 4-0 versus the Kings with a 0.85 goals against average and .970 save percentage.Â
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02-04-19 | Spurs -120 v. Kings | 112-127 | Loss | -120 | 22 h 48 m | Show | |
Sacramento is much improved this season as a number of its younger players have stepped up. The Kings have become a playoff contender. But they are not quite good enough to be a playoff team in the loaded Western Conference. They are at least one level behind the Spurs. The Kings are 3-9 ATS the past 12 times when taking on an above .500 foe.  San Antonio embarks on its annual rodeo road trip riding a five-game win streak. LaMarcus Aldridge is having a huge season. Rudy Gay is playing well since returning from a wrist injury and DeMar DeRozan is back from injury. Those three reliable pros give the Spurs a veteran edge on the youthful Kings.  Not only are the Spurs putting a huge emphasis on starting their eight-game road trip with a victory, but they have revenge motivation. The Kings beat the Spurs, 104-99, at home on Nov. 12. San Antonio had won the previous 14 games against the Kings. The Spurs have covered 73 percent of their last 16 games in Sacramento.  The Spurs are the better team, have motivation and the price is right to back them.Â
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02-04-19 | Kings v. Rangers -127 | 4-3 | Loss | -127 | 18 h 32 m | Show | |
The Kings are the lowest-scoring team in the NHL averaging 2.3 goals a game. They have scored eight goals during their past six road games.  LA has dropped 21 of its past 29 away matchups. The Kings have really struggled against Eastern Conference opponents losing eight of the last nine to them.  I like the way the Rangers have been playing. They are 4-2 in their last six games and could easily be 6-0 in these games. Their two losses were 1-0 to the Flyers when they just missed on a lot of good scoring chances and 3-2 to the league-leading Lightning.  The Kings aren't playing at that level having lost seven of their past 11.Â
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02-04-19 | Louisville +4 v. Virginia Tech | 72-64 | Win | 100 | 20 h 54 m | Show | |
Chris Mack is a great coach and I expect Louisville to put forth a maximum effort following Saturday's 79-69 home loss to North Carolina. There is no shame in losing to North Carolina. There is shame, though, in how meekly the Cardinals went down to defeat. Louisville is 8-1-1 ATS following a point spread loss. The Cardinals also have covered in six of their past seven road contests.  Until falling to the Tar Heels, the Cardinals had won six straight Atlantic Coast Conference games, winning those games by an average of 18 points. So maybe they were due for a flat performance. I don't expect a second bad game in a row.  Virginia Tech is coming off a bizarre 47-24 road victory against North Carolina State on Saturday. The Hokies only hit 36 percent of their shots, but still won by 23 points. Virginia Tech got away with not having senior point guard Justin Robinson against the frigid-shooting Wolfpack. But the absence of Robinson, who is out with an ankle injury, could really hurt the Hokies versus the Cardinals. Robinson is Virginia Tech's second-leading scorer and leads the team in assists. Â
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02-03-19 | Patriots -129 v. Rams | Top | 13-3 | Win | 100 | 287 h 51 m | Show |
Monster quarterback edge. Far more biggest-stage experience. Intangibles. I want all those things going for me and that's why I am siding with the Patriots.  Look I love Sean McVay. But if there's one coach - and there is only one coach - who can trump McVay it is Bill Belichick especially with two weeks of preparation.  I don't trust Jared Goff. He didn't look good down the stretch once Cooper Kupp suffered a season-ending knee injury halfway through the season. Only once in his last seven games did Goff reached 300 yards passing. Goff had only a 10-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio when not playing at home. The Rams averaged just 22.6 points during their last six games if you discount their 48-point performance versus the 49ers.  The Patriots have excellent cornerbacks. They can control Brandin Cooks, who they know well since Cooks was with New England last season, and Robert Woods. The Patriots had the 11th-best run defense, too.  Tom Brady is the best big-game quarterback in NFL history. The only other names you can throw into that argument are Joe Montana, Bart Starr and Otto Graham. The Rams haven't been to the Super Bowl since 2001. That happened to be the first Super Bowl Belichick and Brady played in together. Since then the Patriots have played in seven other Super Bowls. This is their ninth Super, fourth one in five season and third straight. Cooks and defensive back Aqib Talib are the only Rams who have even played in a Super Bowl.  The Patriots have covered nine of their last 12 playoff games. What is McVay's history? The Rams were one-and-done last season losing by 13 points at home to the Falcons as 6 1/2-point favorites. They barely managed to cover against the Cowboys at home this season in their first playoff game and then hung in to pull the upset against the Saints in the NFC title game benefitting from maybe the worst non-call in playoff history on an obvious pass interference call.  I don't mean to demean, or sound harsh against the Rams. Again, I really like McVay. I do think he is at the genius level. He just doesn't have the quarterback, nor the dominant shutdown type of defense needed to beat the Patriots.  New England may have the most underrated interior offensive line in football. The Patriots haven't allowed a sack in playoff victories against the Chargers and Chiefs. The Rams finished with 11 fewer sacks than the Chiefs and had just three more sacks than the Chargers during the regular season.  Todd Gurley is the Rams' most dangerous weapon. And he's not 100 percent. He barely played against the Saints carrying only four times, which tells me he's far from 100 percent because of a lingering knee injury. If Gurley isn't in top form than Sony Michel is the best running back. Michel is stepping up with 242 rushing and five touchdowns in New England's two postseason victories. He has looked great.  The Patriots are a combined 62-1 in the regular season and playoffs when having a runner rush for 100 yards. Aaron Donald is a monster in the Rams' defensive line. But LA doesn't have the quality linebackers to both stop Michel and cover the Patriots' various short receiving threats - running back James White, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, who looked better than he had in weeks during the win against the Chiefs. Brady is the master at knowing who and when to use his various weapons. I'm not betting against him and Belichick. Â
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02-03-19 | Oilers v. Canadiens UNDER 6 | 3-4 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 18 m | Show | |
This will be the second game following the long All-Star break for both teams. I see a defensive battle with less rust on each club. The Canadiens have scored two goals in each of their last three games. They have failed to score more than three goals in 11 of their last 13 games. Montreal has the second-worst power play in the NHL. Edmonton gave up four power play goals in their 5-4 overtime loss to the Flyers this past Saturday. So the Oilers will be really clamping down if they fall a man short.  Carey Price will be in goal for Montreal after sitting out the Canadiens' first game back from break due to a one-game suspension. Price is having a strong bounce back season with a 2.56 GAA.Â
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02-03-19 | Thunder v. Celtics UNDER 227 | 129-134 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 52 m | Show | |
It's easy to think offense with superstars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Kyrie Irving on the court. But Oklahoma City and Boston also are strong defensively.  The Thunder give up the 12th fewest points in the league. The Celtics rank No. 3 in scoring defense and No. 2 in defensive field goal percentage.  The Celtics are giving up just 100.6 points per game in their last six games discounting a 115-point performance that Golden State put up against Boston.  There were just 196 points scored during the first meeting, which the Celtics won, 101-95, back in late October. It was the fourth time in the last five in the series that the Under has cashed.  Note this is a day game. That's usually a plus for an Under, too.Â
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02-03-19 | Xavier v. Creighton -6 | 54-76 | Win | 100 | 9 h 58 m | Show | |
Creighton is undervalued given its tough Big East schedule. Xavier is not. The Musketeers are just bad this season especially on the road. Xavier is 1-5 SU and ATS in true road games this season. All of those road defeats have been by seven or more points. The Musketeers also are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road contests when going up against opponents who own a winning home record. The Bluejays average 82 points when playing at home. Xavier averages 68.1 points on the road. The Bluejays should be pumped, too, for this Sunday home game in a double revenge spot after Xavier won both meetings last season, including nipping Creighton by one point in Omaha.Â
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02-02-19 | Cal Poly v. CS-Northridge -8 | 65-83 | Win | 100 | 10 h 46 m | Show | |
Cal Poly is coming off a surpring 71-45 road win against UC Riverside two days ago. The Mustangs were 7-point 'dogs in that game. Cal Poly, though, is far from being a good team. The Mustangs were 1-9 going into that game. They are 2-7 ATS in their last nine lined games. They also are a very bad road team going 6-15-2 ATS during their last 23 away matchups. Northridge is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games. The Matadors defeated Cal Poly on the road earlier this season and have covered eight of the last 10 in the series.
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02-02-19 | Lakers v. Warriors -10.5 | Top | 101-115 | Win | 100 | 17 h 60 m | Show |
No team can hang with the Warriors when Golden State is home and fully motivated. I see the Warriors playing with a great deal of intensity following a humbling nationally televised home defeat to the 76ers this past Thursday. That halted the Warriors' 11-game win streak and occurred right after Golden State had returned home following a 5-0 road sweep. It was a flat spot for the Warriors and the 76ers took advantage.  Golden State has dominated this series defeating the Lakers in eight of the last nine meetings. However, the one loss during this stretch came on Christmas Day when the Lakers humiliated the Warriors, 127-101.  That defeat still bothers the Warriors, who should be at full strength to face the Lakers. LA has LeBron James back, but could have a serious problem at point guard with Lonzo Ball out and Rajon Rondo questionable with an ankle injury. James had missed the previous 17 games with a groin injury until returning in the Lakers' last game, a 123-120 overtime win versus the Clippers on Thursday. James had to log 40 minutes in that victory and said his groin felt sore after the game.  So if the Lakers fall way behind they may limit James' minutes not wanting to risk him getting reinjured.  The Lakers showed they aren't much without James going 6-11 in his absence. The Lakers have failed to cover in nine of their last 12 visits to Oracle Arena.Â
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02-02-19 | Blackhawks v. Wild OVER 6 | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 7 h 27 m | Show | |
The Blackhawks can score, but play no defense. That combination has resulted in nine straight Over the totals.  Chicago has scored three or more goals in nine straight games. However, the Blackhawks have yielded three or more goals in 10 of their last 11 games. They are giving up five goals per game during their last three away matchups.  The Blackhawks have been long-term Over the total money-makers on the road. The Over is 34-15-4 in Chicago's last 53 road games. The Wild had scored a combined nine goals in their last two games before the All-Star break. They came back rusty losing 3-1 to the Stars on the road Friday night. Dallas, though, has been playing stellar defense. Chicago certainly isn't doing that.
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02-02-19 | Clippers +1.5 v. Pistons | 111-101 | Win | 100 | 14 h 34 m | Show | |
I'm usually attracted to the better team getting points especially when the situation sets up. That's the case here.  The Clippers begin their six-game road trip with this matchup having lost at home in their past two games. The Clippers have won and covered three of their last four road games and have revenge motivation for a 109-104 loss they suffered to Detroit as seven-point home favorites on Jan. 12. The Clippers can't afford to lose this game with their next game looming at Toronto on Sunday.  Detroit is 9-21 in its last 30 games. The Pistons were life-and-death at home against a depleted Mavericks squad in their last game on Thursday. It took two free throws by Andre Drummond, a notoriously bad free throw shooter, with 3.3 seconds left to give the Pistons a 93-89 victory. Dallas was without its four best players in that game as Luka Doncic sat out with a sore ankle and DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and Dennis Smith Jr. all were traded earlier that day.Â
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02-02-19 | Hofstra v. Northeastern OVER 147.5 | 61-75 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 28 m | Show | |
Hofstra has gone Over in its last four games. The Pride has scored 84, 85, 86 and 87 points in these games. They have scored 84 or more points in eight of their last 10 games. Northeastern has gone Over in six of its last eight home games. The Huskies have gone Over in five of their last six overall contests. They have scored 78 or more points in six of their last nine games.Â
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02-02-19 | San Francisco v. St. Mary's -5 | 80-86 | Win | 100 | 4 h 10 m | Show | |
St. Mary's has covered the past five times hosting San Francisco. The Gaels have covered their past five home games and will be highly motivated to get revenge for a road loss to the Dons earlier this season. San Francisco has a revenge game on tap - playing Gonzaga on Thursday.  The Gaels have won each of their last seven home games by 15 or more points. The Gaels are back to playing top-notch defense holding three of their past five opponents to 60 points or fewer.
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02-01-19 | Wild v. Stars -127 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 10 h 22 m | Show | |
The Stars have been extremely stingy on defense giving up only 1.7 goals per game during their last seven games. Dallas got its rust off following the long All-Star break with a 1-0 home victory against the Sabres on Wednesday. Buffalo was averaging four goals a game during its last three games entering that matchup. Minnesota has a severe disadvantage having not played for eight days. The Wild historically struggle at Dallas, too, having lost 76 percent of the time there during their past 34 visits.
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02-01-19 | Grizzlies v. Hornets -4.5 | Top | 92-100 | Win | 100 | 19 h 38 m | Show |
The Hornets are the epitome of a good home team, bad road club. Charlotte is 17-8 at home, but just the opposite - 7-18 - in its away matchups. One of the Hornets' few road victories came just nine days ago when they defeated the Grizzlies, 118-107. It was the seventh time in the past eight meetings that Charlotte has covered against Memphis. I'm expecting that trend to continue today.  Memphis has hoisted the white flag with losses in 16 of its last 18 games, including a 1-10 record in its last 11 games. The Grizzlies, to their credit, have been competitive in their last four games losing by three to the Kings at home, upsetting the Pacers at home, losing by just three to the Nuggets on the road and falling to the Timberwolves by two in overtime this past Wednesday at home. The last two defeats were especially brutal for the Grizzlies as they blew a 25-point lead against the Nuggets and were knocked off by the Timberwolves when Karl-Anthony Towns hit a 20-footer at the buzzer off an offensive rebound to give Minnesota the victory.  I don't see the Grizzlies, with their low morale and trade rumors swirling about their two best players - Marc Gasol and Mike Conley - getting up a third straight time even though they do have a revenge factor.  The game is much more important for the Hornets, who currently hold the final playoff spots in the East. Charlotte is off a bad 126-94 road loss to the Celtics on Wednesday. This is the first game of a three-game homestand. Charlotte plays with a lot more confidence at home. The Hornets destroyed the Grizzlies, 140-79, at home last season when Memphis had a better team.  I see this opening number clearly being short.Â
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02-01-19 | Lightning -140 v. Islanders | 1-0 | Win | 100 | 9 h 15 m | Show | |
I want the Lightning going for me in these circumstances. Tampa Bay got the rust off following the long All-Star break by losing, 4-2, on the road to the Penguins two days ago. The Islanders, though, have not played since Jan. 22.  The Islanders are 2-6 the past eight times when not having played for at least three days. They figure to be extremely out of sync.  Tampa Bay has owned this series winning 10 of the past 12 times against the Islanders. Even with the loss to Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay still has won 10 of last 14 away matchups. The Lightning will be highly motivated off a loss. The last time Tampa Bay lost a second consecutive game was back on Nov. 13.Â
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02-01-19 | Princeton -124 v. Columbia | 55-43 | Win | 100 | 2 h 9 m | Show | |
Princeton is in excellent form winning five in a row. I'm going to ride the Tigers here as they have an excellent track record in these type of spots going 6-1 ATS the past seven times meeting an opponent that has a losing won/lost record. The Tigers are 5-2 on the road with a winning ATS away record, too. Columbia is 2-7 ATS at home versus a foe with a winning away mark. Princeton has dominated this series, too, covering eight of the last nine times. |
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01-31-19 | Oregon v. Utah UNDER 136.5 | 78-72 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 39 m | Show | |
Since losing star center Bol Bol for the season, Oregon has become a different team. The Ducks aren't who you think they are. They go motion a lot and eat up clock. The Under has cashed in three of their last four games. They have held four of their past five opponents to 61 points or fewer.  Utah has picked up its defense. The Utes have not allowed any of their last five foes to score more than 70 points. Utah has had difficulty going against tight zone defenses. Oregon is playing far more zone since they no longer have rim protector Bol.  These teams have a huge Under history, too, with 10 of the last 11 in the series going below the total.Â
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01-31-19 | Mavs v. Pistons -125 | Top | 89-93 | Win | 100 | 17 h 48 m | Show |
Dallas is coming off a 114-90 burial of the Knicks Wednesday night. That's impressive until you realize the Knicks are 10-40 with the fewest wins in the NBA and that was just the Mavericks' fifth road win in 25 away games this season.  Detroit has a winning home record. The Pistons have short revenge for a 106-101 road loss suffered to Dallas this past Friday. This is the second of a four-game homestand for the Pistons. They lost to the Bucks in their last game. No shame in that. But the Pistons host the Clippers and Nuggets in their next two games. So this is the easiest one. It's a game the prideful Dwane Casey doesn't want to lose. Casey was an assistant coach for the Mavericks before he became the Raptors head coach previous to taking over the Pistons this season.  Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond give the Pistons the two best players in the frontcourt.Â
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01-31-19 | Rangers +127 v. Devils | 4-3 | Win | 127 | 18 h 55 m | Show | |
After being idle for eight days, the Devils came out of All-Star break beating the Penguins, 6-3, on the road. That was on Monday. The Devils haven't played since. So this will be just their third game in 11 days.  The Rangers are in a more normal pattern. New York lost 1-0 at home to the Flyers on Tuesday. The Rangers are 4-0 the past four times when playing on one day's rest.  Before upsetting the Penguins, the Devils had lost three in a row with two of the defeats occurring by three goals. The Rangers had won three consecutive games entering break before falling to the Flyers. New York fired 38 shots on goal, but had some tough luck. Not only did they have shots hit off the post, but Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz came up with probably his finest performance of the season with several super saves.  The Rangers are likely to go with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. He has more wins and shutouts in his career against the Devils than any other opponent. The Rangers also are expected to have back Mats Zuccarello, their top right winger. He missed the Flyers game.  The Devils, however, are not likely to have defenseman Sami Vatanen. He suffered a concussion against the Penguins.Â
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01-31-19 | Wofford v. Mercer +7.5 | 76-67 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 35 m | Show | |
Wofford is in a flat spot coming off a three-game home sweep where it won two of those games in the final seconds. Despite those victories, the Terriers still have failed to cover in their last four Southern Conference games. Mercer is a bad road team, but good at home going 7-2. The Bears are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home contests. The Bears hung tough at Wofford in the first meeting losing, 78-74, as 12-point road 'dogs on Jan. 5.
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01-30-19 | Jazz v. Blazers -114 | Top | 105-132 | Win | 100 | 20 h 18 m | Show |
Utah is 9-1 in its last 10 games. Impressive, right? On closer examination not quite. The Jazz have compiled that record against bad teams: sweeping the Timberwolves in a home-and-road series and winning home games against the Magic, LeBron James-less Lakers, Bulls, Pistons and Cavaliers.  The Jazz's lone loss during this span happened to be against the Trail Blazers in Salt Lake City. The Trail Blazers defeated Utah, 109-104, as five-point road 'dogs despite a huge discrepancy in free throws. Portland was 11-for-15 from the foul line in that game, while Utah sank 25 of 31 free throws.  Portland is very strong at home going 21-7 SU, 18-10 ATS. The Trail Blazers have been pointing to this matchup, too, having been idle since Saturday.Â
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01-30-19 | Fresno State -12 v. Wyoming | 75-62 | Win | 100 | 11 h 15 m | Show | |
I want Fresno State going for me after the Bulldogs were upset, 74-65, as 6-point road favorites at Colorado State in their last game. The Bulldogs have not lost two games in a row all season. Wyoming is 1-6 in the Mountain West having lost six of its last seven games. Wyoming has been hard hit by injuries and lacks the scoring to keep up with Fresno State. The Cowboys average just 65.6 points a game, which ranks 323rd in the nation.  Fresno State is 7-1 ATS the past eight times facing a foe with a losing home record. The Cowboys have failed to cover eight of the last 10 times versus opponents with a winning record. They lack the manpower and experience to cope with what should be a fired-up and mad Bulldogs squad.
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01-30-19 | Lightning v. Penguins +100 | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 20 h 46 m | Show | |
Pittsburgh is extremely tough at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins have key factors going for them, too, in this matchup even though they are taking on the best team in the NHL, the Lightning.  Tampa Bay hasn't played in 11 days due to a bye week and All-Star break. The Lightning are going to be rusty. Even their coach, Jon Cooper, acknowledged this when he was quoted as saying, "... There may be a little sloppiness in the first game back ..."  The Penguins won't have this issue. They played Monday and lost 6-3 at home to New Jersey. The Penguins did not play well in that game. They will be highly motivated to perform much better - and they won't be rusty. Pittsburgh has won seven of the past eight times when playing on one day rest.  The Lightning have lost four of the last five times when playing at Pittsburgh.Â
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01-30-19 | Nuggets -8 v. Pelicans | 105-99 | Loss | -105 | 18 h 48 m | Show | |
It is a terrible scheduling break for the Pelicans that they have to play today after stunning the Rockets on the road Tuesday despite missing a number of key players, including Anthony Davis.  New Orleans is 1-4 ATS when playing on zero rest. I can't see the Pelicans putting forth another great effort on such short notice and being down so many important contributors. Denver will be the more rested team already being in New Orleans following its 95-92 road win against Memphis on Monday.  The Nuggets are 34-15, the second-best record in the Western Conference. The Pelicans are 23-28. Denver has won 13 of its last 17 games. The Nuggets have won by 16 or more points in four of their last six games blowing out the 76ers, Bulls, Cavaliers and Suns during this span. They are certainly capable of crushing the sub .500 Pelicans, too. It's not just superstar Davis who the Pelicans are missing. They also are going to be without Julius Randle, their third-leading scorer, and Nikola Mirotic. Elfrid Payton may not play either. If that's the case, which it was last night, the Pelcians will be down their best player, third-best player, fourth-best player and sixth-best player.  The Nuggets won't be taking the Pelicans for granted like the Rockets did either. Denver will be focused being on the road and fully aware of what the Pelicans accomplished last night at Houston. Â
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01-29-19 | Bucks -6 v. Pistons | Top | 115-105 | Win | 100 | 21 h 17 m | Show |
The Bucks opened their current five-game road trip with a 118-112 loss to the Thunder on Sunday. Milwaukee has yet to lose two consecutive games all season. The Bucks are 12-2 ATS the past 14 times following a defeat. The Bucks have won their next game after a loss by an average of 14.8 points.  The Pistons are 2-3 in their last five games, averaging just 97 points during this span. The Bucks rank No. 2 in the NBA in scoring at 117.3.  Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond are having tremendous years for Detroit. But the Pistons are getting little from the rest of the players. They have a weak bench made weaker if backup veteran point guard Ish Smith has to miss a fifth straight game due to a groin injury. Detroit is just 1-6-1 ATS the past eight times it has stepped up to face an opponent with a win percentage above .600.  The Bucks have owned the Pistons this season winning all three meetings with the average victory margin being 16 points.  Big man Brook Lopez has come on making the Bucks extremely dangerous. Lopez's hot shooting from outside has helped free things up for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Unlike the Pistons, the Bucks have a deep bench. Lopez scored 25 points - hitting seven 3-pointers - when the teams last met on New Year's Day with the Bucks winning, 121-98, at home.Â
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01-29-19 | Jets +131 v. Bruins | 4-3 | Win | 131 | 20 h 18 m | Show | |
Winnipeg has the third-best record in the NHL behind only Tampa Bay and Calgary. I want the Jets going for me in an underdog role following a road loss to the Flyers on Monday against the sure-to-be-rusty Bruins.  Boston hasn't played since Jan. 19. The Bruins are 0-4 the past four times following three or more days rest. The Jets have the advantage of having played last night. There shouldn't be a fatigue factor for them since they previously had played on Jan. 19.  The Jets are 8-2 the past 10 times against foes with a winning mark. They also are 25-10 in their last 35 games versus Eastern Conference opponents. Despite the loss to the Flyers, Winnipeg has won nine of its last 14 road games, too.
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01-29-19 | Tennessee v. South Carolina +9 | Top | 92-70 | Loss | -110 | 17 h 3 m | Show |
Tennessee is finding out that being the top-ranked college basketball team in the country carries a huge target. The Volunteers have had some narrow escapes in two of their last three games beating Alabama by just three points as 13-point home favorites and getting past Vanderbilt in overtime as a nine-point road favorite. I don't see the Volunteers being quite so fortunate on the road against a rugged, well-coached South Carolina squad that has been peaking since SEC play began going 5-1. Going back to last season, the Gamecocks are 11-2-1 ATS during their past 14 SEC contests. This is Tennessee's fourth SEC road game. The Volunteers have trailed in all three of their league road matchups. South Carolina is good at forcing turnovers and rebounding. The Gamecocks will be fired-up, too, under fiery Frank Martin. Tennessee is coming off its third-worst turnover game of the season committing 16 in their last game against West Virginia.  South Carolina has covered in four of its last five games versus Tennessee.Â
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01-28-19 | Baylor +6 v. Oklahoma | 77-47 | Win | 100 | 21 h 53 m | Show | |
Baylor is 4-1 since losing center and second-leading scorer Tristan Clark for the season with a knee injury. The Bears have come together following Clark's injury riding a season-high four game win streak. The Bears have knocked off ranked Texas Tech and won at Oklahoma State during this span. There are some key intangibles that point to the Bears keeping this one close - if not pulling the outright upset.  Oklahoma just rolled past Vanderbilt, 86-66, this past Saturday in an SEC/Big 12 Challenge game. Vandy is coached by Bryce Drew, the younger brother of Baylor coach Scott Drew. So you know the older Drew has picked his brother's brain about how best to attack the Sooners.  Not committing turnovers is one element. Vanderbilt committed 22 turnovers in its road loss to the Sooners. Baylor turned the ball over just eight times, tying a season-low, in beating Alabama, 73-68, this past Saturday. The Bears have gone more to playing four guards at one time since losing Clark. That could account for fewer turnovers.  The Bears are playing tough defense holding their last four foes to 68 points a game. Baylor also leads the Big 12 in rebounding margin at plus 6.5.  Baylor is used to playing on Monday after having just been in action on Saturday. They have done it the past two weeks, posting Monday road victories against Oklahoma State and West Virginia. The familiarity in this routine is a plus. The Bears won both of these games straight-up as an underdog. Baylor is 4-0 ATS during its past four away contests. The Bears also have covered in four of their last five road games versus the Sooners.  The last time the Sooners played on less than two days rest was back in November. Oklahoma hasn't been playing that well either going 3-3 in its last six games. |
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01-28-19 | Warriors v. Pacers UNDER 226 | Top | 132-100 | Loss | -115 | 21 h 1 m | Show |
The Pacers rank just 21st in scoring - and that was having their leading scorer, Victor Oladipo, and his 18.8 average per game. This will be the Pacers' second game without their top player, who is lost for the season with a knee injury. Golden State is full of superstars, but the Warriors also have the sixth-best defensive field goal percentage in the NBA.  Indiana gives up the fewest points per game in the NBA at 103.2. Only once in their last seven games have the Pacers surrendered more than 106 points. Myles Turner is the top shot blocker in the league. So the Warriors don't figure to get easy baskets.  The Pacers are sure to try to control tempo with a slowdown, halfcourt style. The Warriors may not be in track meet mood either since this is their third road game in five days. The Warriors are in transition, too, working DeMarcus Cousins into their offense.Â
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01-27-19 | Bucks v. Thunder -113 | Top | 112-118 | Win | 100 | 16 h 42 m | Show |
Milwaukee owns the best record in the NBA at 35-12. That record is somewhat deceiving, though, because the Bucks are 22-4 at home and a more mortal 13-8 on the road with a 10-9-2 away point spread mark.  This is the first of a five-game road swing for Milwaukee. The Bucks have been home for a week. Their previous three road matchups were against the Magic, Grizzlies and Hawks. Those three teams are a combined 37 games below .500. I see the Bucks encountering some cultural and road shock playing at always tough Chesapeake Energy Arena, where they have failed to cover in 12 of their last 17 visits. Oklahoma City is tough again at home with a 16-7 mark. The Thunder have won their last four games, averaging 122.3 points during this span.Â
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01-27-19 | Kings v. Clippers UNDER 231 | 108-122 | Win | 100 | 2 h 18 m | Show | |
 This isn't an ideal spot for an Over with this being an early start time for two West Coast teams. It's the Kings' last game of a six-game road trip and the Clippers' first game back following a four-game road trip. The Kings have gone Under in their last 10 games, a below the radar trend. The Under is 8-1 in the Clippers' last 9 games. |
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01-26-19 | Warriors v. Celtics UNDER 230.5 | Top | 115-111 | Win | 100 | 19 h 40 m | Show |
It is easy to think offense with all the superstars involved in the Warriors-Celtics matchup.  But these teams also are strong defensively. The Celtics rank second in defensive field goal percentage and surrender the fifth-fewest points per game. Only five teams have a better defensive field goal percentage than the Warriors.  This should be an intense matchup - just like last season. The Celtics defeated the Warriors, 92-88, when they last hosted them in November of last season. That was the Warriors' fifth-lowest point total of the season. Golden State forced the Celtics into shooting a season-worst 32.9 percent from the floor in that game. Golden State won the rematch at home, 109-105, last January. It was the fifth straight time the Under has cashed in the series.  The Warriors are putting up high scoring marks. But their last four games all were against bottom-10 defenses, including two of the worst defenses in the NBA, the Wizards and Pelicans. |
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01-26-19 | Utah v. California UNDER 146 | 82-64 | Push | 0 | 8 h 39 m | Show | |
Utah has been playing strong defense. The Utes have held their last four foes to 70 points or fewer. California struggles offensively. The Golden Bears haven't reached 60 points during their last three games. They rank last in the Pac-12 in scoring and field goal percentage. The Under has cashed in four of the Golden Bears' last five games. |
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01-26-19 | UNLV v. San Diego State -5.5 | 77-94 | Win | 100 | 4 h 49 m | Show | |
San Diego State is in a foul mood after blowing a 20-point road lead against Fresno State in its last game. The Aztecs are 15-6 ATS for 71 percent in their last 21 home games, including beating UNLV by 38 points last season at home. UNLV has covered just 25 percent of its last 41 away matchups. The Rebels have played an easy Mountain West schedule. So their record is misleading. Look for the Aztecs to expose the Rebels here. Â
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01-26-19 | Samford v. Furman -9 | 75-73 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 50 m | Show | |
Furman is 10-0 at home with a winning home ATS mark. The Paladins have dominated this series winning the past six times. They beat Samford both times last season winning each game by double digits, including defeating the Bulldogs by 15 points on the road.  The spot is bad for Samford. The Bulldogs are coming off a 107-106 overtime loss to Wofford as 12-point road 'dogs this past Thursday.Â
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01-26-19 | Dayton v. Fordham OVER 132.5 | 75-52 | Loss | -109 | 15 h 43 m | Show | |
Dayton won last year's game, 80-70, against Fordham. The Flyers rank No. 5 in the country in field goal percentage. Fordham has some fancy defensive statistics that are out of whack because of the easy schedule it has played.  The Flyers have gone Over the total in nine of their last 12 games. The Over has cashed in Fordham's past four games. The Over has cashed five of the last six times the two teams have met.Â
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01-25-19 | Butler v. Creighton OVER 153 | Top | 61-75 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 44 m | Show |
Creighton is the 19th-highest scoring team in the nation averaging 83.9 points a game. Yet the Bluejays were held to 69 points in an 84-69 road loss to Butler during the team's first meeting on Jan. 5. Creighton made just 7 of 27 3-point shots (25.9 percent), was 16-of-24 (66.7 percent) from the foul line and hit 45.1 percent from the floor. On the season, the Bluejays rank fourth in field goal percentage at 50.5 percent, are No. 2 in the nation in 3-point percentage at 43 percent and are 67 percent from the foul line. So I see vast improvement coming from the Bluejays at home in the rematch. Creighton has gone Over in six of its last eight home matchups.  Butler ranks 213th in defensive field goal percentage and 190th in 3-point defense. The Bulldogs have played seven consecutive Over the total games. They are averaging 79.6 points in their last three games. Creighton had problems stopping Kamar Baldwin, Butler's leading scorer. He scored 28 points and dished off seven assists against the Bluejays. Since the team's last met, Butler forward Jordan Tucker has come on to average 16.5 points so the Bluejays just can't concentrate on Baldwin. The Bulldogs have been a strong Over team in Big East competiton with the Over cashing 13 of the past 16 times (81 percent) in league play.Â
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01-25-19 | Knicks +10 v. Nets | Top | 99-109 | Push | 0 | 10 h 53 m | Show |
The Nets have been a great below-the-radar story winning 18 of their last 23 games to become a solid playoff contender. The Nets have accomplished this with a deep rotation not having any superstars.  But now the Nets are laying their biggest number of the season. They are doing this against a long-time division and neighbor rival and they are doing it when they could be without several players to their rotation, one of whom is vitally important.  Star reserve Spencer Dinwiddie - who is averaging 17.2 points - is not likely to play because of a thumb injury, Jared Dudley is out with a hamstring injury and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is questionable with a shoulder injury. Dinwiddie scored 25 points when the teams last met on Dec. 8. The Nets beat the Knicks, 112-104, at Madison Square Garden.  Despite their turnaround season, the Nets are averaging an NBA-worst 14,258 fans per game. Many of those fans for tonight's game will be Knicks fans. There is a pride element in the NBA. The Knicks upset the Bucks last month. The Knicks will be up for this game. They have covered six of the last seven in the series.  The Nets are not a team to lay big points with as 14 of their last 18 victories have been by single digits. Brooklyn has won three of its last four games by an average of three points with one coming in overtime.Â
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01-24-19 | Warriors v. Wizards +10.5 | Top | 126-118 | Win | 100 | 11 h 32 m | Show |
Just like last season, the Wizards are playing much better without John Wall. How well? They are 8-3 ATS since losing Wall for the season.  The Wizards are 6-1 SU and ATS in their last seven home games. Included among their victories during this current home span are wins against the Bucks by seven and against the 76ers by 17. Milwaukee has a better record than Golden State. The Wizards' only home defeat during this span came in overtime to the Raptors.  This is a rare nationally televised (TNT) game for Washington. The Warriors have a more challenging game on deck playing at the Celtics on Saturday. So the Wizards certainly should be the more motivated team.Â
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01-24-19 | Hofstra v. James Madison UNDER 144 | 85-68 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 47 m | Show | |
Hofstra has gone Under in 13 of its last 16 road games. Look for that trend to continue here. The Pride has become zone-oriented and James Madison has had problems versus zone defenses. James Madison shoot just 43.3 percent from the floor. The Dukes have failed to reach 70 points in three of their last four games. Hofstra is capable of putting up big numbers so James Madison is not going to play up-tempo.Â
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01-24-19 | Oakland v. IUPU-Indianapolis UNDER 153 | 71-73 | Win | 100 | 9 h 15 m | Show | |
Nothing like Horizon League basketball - at 8 in the morning West Coast time. Yep these two teams tip-off in the morning local time, which automatically has me thinking Under the total. Oakland has scored 76 or fewer points in six of its last nine games. The Golden Grizzlies are perceived as a high-scoring outfit. Yet they have gone Under in 20 of their past 28 Horizon League games.  Indiana-Purdue is averaging fewer than 68 points during its last five games if you discount the Jagaurs' 90-74 victory against Cleveland State. The Jaguars have been an Under team, too, in league play as eight of their past 11 Horizon League matchups have gone below the total.Â
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01-23-19 | Nuggets v. Jazz -3 | Top | 108-114 | Win | 100 | 21 h 59 m | Show |
Going up against the Jazz in Salt Lake City usually isn't a pleasant experience. It has been especially tough for the Nuggets. Denver has lost seven road games in a row to Utah with the average loss being 14 points.  Denver enters this matchup a bit fat and happy following two blowout home victories. Those wins, though, occurred against the Bulls and Cavaliers. Utah, by contrast, is in an angry mood. The Jazz lost 109-104 at home to Portland in their last game this past Monday. The Jazz had won six consecutive games prior to that.  Utah is 9-1-1 ATS following a loss. Denver is 2-7 ATS in its past nine road games.  Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are having exceptional months for the Jazz. Mitchell is averaging 29.8 points in his last nine games. Gobert has pulled down at least 13 rebounds in his last eight games. Gobert could be the best rim protector in the Western Conference and can bother Nikola Jokic.  The Jazz's banged-up backcourt is in better shape now with Ricky Rubio back from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for six games. Rubio got some of the rust off in the Jazz's loss to the Trail Blazers, which was his first game back. |
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01-23-19 | Blues v. Ducks +106 | 5-1 | Loss | -100 | 23 h 45 m | Show | |
Anaheim last played Sunday afternoon when it concluded a five-game road trip. The Ducks won two of those last three games. That's better than what they did in their previous homestand. The Ducks lost all six of those home games. They should be rested, ready and highly motivated to beat the Blues as they go back on the road for five more games in a row before returning to Anaheim. The Ducks have something to prove to their fans and themselves. This is their game and spot to do that.  The Blues have a worse record than the Ducks. St. Louis will be playing for the sixth time in 10 days and third in five days.  The Ducks have defeated the Blues in four of the last five meetings. They also have dominated St. Louis at home going 21-5-1 during the last 27 games.Â
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01-23-19 | Spurs v. 76ers UNDER 225 | 120-122 | Loss | -109 | 3 h 10 m | Show | |
The Spurs have been sharper on defense giving up a respectable 106.2 points during their last four games. San Antonio, though, has been held to fewer than 96 points during two of its last four games. The Spurs could catch a huge break if Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons can't play. Both are questionable.  The 76ers have held two of their last three foes to 96 points or fewer.  These teams have an Under history, too, with the Under winning 11 of the past 14 times in the series.Â
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01-23-19 | St Bonaventure v. Massachusetts -3 | 65-51 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 38 m | Show | |
UMass is stepping down in class and can take advantage of St. Bonaventure's youth. The Bonnies are dealing with injuries and have been horrible on the road going 0-8-1 ATS during their last nine road games. UMass has the better offense and is showing improvement on the defensive end. The Minutemen are averaging nearly six more points per game than St. Bonaventure. |
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01-22-19 | Duke v. Pittsburgh +13 | Top | 79-64 | Loss | -105 | 19 h 25 m | Show |
Duke has a Dream Team of freshmen with RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish.  But Pittsburgh also has some very good first-year players with Xavier Johnson, Trey McGowens and Au'Diese Toney.  Duke is coming off a huge marquee home victory against Virginia this past Saturday. Pittsburgh is treating this as its biggest game of the season. The matchup has been sold out for weeks.  Jeff Capel is a big reason why the Panthers are sky-high for this matchup. Capel played four seasons for Mike Krzyzewski and then coached under him for seven years while probably being Duke's top recruiter. Capel was named Pittsburgh's head coach last March. This is the first meeting between Capel and Krzyzewski.  Capel knows the Blue Devils better than any opponent. He knows Duke's tendencies and has intimate knowledge of the plays the Blue Devils run.  Duke is likely to be missing point guard Tre Jones, who was leading the Blue Devils in assists and was their fourth-leading scorer. He suffered a shoulder injury last week and is not expected to play.   The Panthers have covered 76 percent of their lined games under Capel. Pitt is 9-3 ATS in its home games. The Panthers have a strong history of covering spreads versus elite competition going 9-2-1 ATS the past 12 times facing opponents with an above .600 winning percentage.  I expect this game to be close throughout. But if Duke does build a double-digit lead the backdoor should be open for Pittsburgh because Capel and Krzyzewski are close friends. Krzyzewski would not want to embarrass Capel especially on Capel's home-court.Â
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01-22-19 | Blazers +6 v. Thunder | 114-123 | Loss | -107 | 10 h 28 m | Show | |
Portland is playing its best ball going 9-3 in its last 12 games. The Trail Blazers have covered six of their last seven games and have had equally good point spread success versus the Thunder covering six of the last seven meetings. This is a key Northwest Division matchup with both teams trailing the Nuggets by 3 1/2 games. Portland also has revenge for a 111-109 home loss to Oklahoma City from 18 days ago.  Some of Oklahoma City's home-court advantage is lost because of the spot. The Thunder had to fly in from the East Coast after defeating the Knicks on Sunday. The Trail Blazers posted a road victory against the Jazz on Monday. Portland was idle the previous two days, though. The Trail Blazers had last played on Friday before Monday's game against the Jazz.  The Thunder are playing for the fifth time in eight days and third time in four days - all on different courts.  Oklahoma City has its share of stars. But the Trail Blazers' backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum rates as high as any guard tandem and big man Jusuf Nurkic is having a breakthrough season.Â
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01-22-19 | Coyotes -101 v. Senators | 3-2 | Win | 100 | 19 h 22 m | Show | |
Arizona is the better team especially with Vinnie Hinostroza back in the lineup. The Coyotes have been solid on the road going 13-10-1. They have defeated the Senators five of the past seven times, including the last three.  The Coyotes are in good form, winning five of their last seven games. These include victories against the Sharks and Maple Leafs.  The Senators have lost 10 of their last 14 games. They are 1-6 during their past seven home games. The trade deadline is coming up next month, which is a distraction for the Senators with their three top scorers scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.Â
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01-21-19 | Nebraska v. Rutgers UNDER 136 | Top | 69-76 | Loss | -109 | 15 h 57 m | Show |
Nebraska gives up just 61.3 points a game. Only 11 teams give up fewer points per game. Rutgers is a far better defensive team than offensive one. The Scarlet Knights rank 67th in scoring defense holding foes to 66.8 points per game. The Scarlet Knights, though, figure to have problems handling the ball. Nebraska leads the Big Ten in steals per game. The Scarlet Knights remain without their leadings scorer, Eugene Omoruyi. He's out with a leg injury. Rutgers knows it can't win shootout games. So expect a slow tempo. That's been the pattern of the past three meetings between these two teams with the average combined score being just 121.6 points. |
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01-21-19 | Blues v. Kings +105 | 3-4 | Win | 105 | 13 h 32 m | Show | |
I'm not buying into the Kings being a home 'dog to the Blues, which is how the linesmaker opened this game.  The Blues are coming off a home win against Ottawa. Big deal. They had lost their two previous games, both on the road falling to the Bruins and Islanders. Now the Blues have to travel to the West Coast for their fifth game in eight days. St. Louis is 4-11 following a victory. The Blues also are 4-11 the past 15 times when playing a below .500 opponent. The Kings had come within a road shootout loss to the Wild of owning a three-game win streak before getting shellacked, 7-1, at home by Colorado on the road this past Saturday. LA will look for redemption returning home. The Kings have won five of their last eight home games. The Kings also have dominated the Blues at home winning 12 of the past 15 times.
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01-21-19 | Bulls v. Cavs OVER 213 | 104-88 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 24 m | Show | |
Never mind the early starting time. You put together the two worst teams in the NBA playing on Martin Luther King Day and you're going to get a high-scoring game especially when those two teams happen to be the Bulls and Cavaliers. Not only should this be a loose, fun game, but neither the Bulls nor Cavaliers have been playing any defense. Chicago is giving up an average of 122.2 points in its last seven games. The Cavaliers' defense has been even worse if you discount their 101-95 victory against the Lakers. They are yielding an average of 126.5 points a game during their last nine games, not including the Lakers result.  The Over has cashed in seven of the Bulls' last eight games, while the Over is 9-1-1 in Cleveland's past 11 home contests.  Both teams are without their best inside defensive players. Larry Nance Jr. is out for Cleveland. So is Wendell Carter Jr. for the Bulls. The Cavs don't have a shot-blocking presence minus Nance while Carter was the Bulls' lone physical inside force.Â
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01-20-19 | Hurricanes v. Oilers +107 | 7-4 | Loss | -100 | 19 h 7 m | Show | |
The Oilers opened their three-game homestand in unimpressive fashion losing 5-2 to the Flames on Saturday. Look for Edmonton to bounce back today against Carolina. The Oilers haven't lost back-to-back home games all season when playing without rest.  The Hurricanes have lost their past two games - and the games haven't been close. Carolina fell by four goals to the Rangers and by three goals to the Senators.  Carolina is giving up an average of 3.7 goals during its past seven games. The Hurricanes have surrendered at least three goals in each of their last seven games. Edmonton has beaten Carolina four of the last five times at home.
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01-20-19 | Suns v. Wolves -10 | 114-116 | Loss | -113 | 18 h 34 m | Show | |
Minnesota had been playing well. That was before the Timberwolves' last two games - a road loss to the 76ers and home loss to the Spurs this past Friday.  But now the Timberwolves drop way down in class hosting the Suns, who are 4-19 SU, 10-13 ATS on the road. This is the Suns' finale of a four-game road trip. It marks their fourth game in six days and second in two days. The Suns don't have much quality depth and they may have lost two players during their 135-115 road loss to Charlotte on Saturday night. Star rookie center Dandre Ayton suffered an ankle injury and reserve forward Richard Holmes hurt his foot.  Minnesota is averaging 112.8 points in its last five games. Phoenix is allowing 125.6 points in its last three games. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 24.8 points this month. He could be in line for a monster performance if Ayton can't play.  The Timberwolves should not lack motivation. They have a revenge factor having lost 107-99 to the Suns in Phoenix on Dec. 15. The teams also meet again on Tuesday in Phoenix. So the Timberwolves understand the urgency of holding court at home.Â
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01-20-19 | Patriots v. Chiefs UNDER 56 | Top | 37-31 | Loss | -110 | 97 h 37 m | Show |
I understand why the oddsmaker set a total this high. There were 83 points scored when the teams met in Week 6 with the Patriots winning, 43-40. The Patriots also looked great in steamrolling the Chargers this past Sunday, 41-28.  But this matchup is going to be much different. It is going to be far more lower scoring than perceived.  Let's start with a weather element. Kickoff is set for 6:40 p.m. Kansas City time. By that time, temperatures are forecast to be around 10 degrees, possibly lower. If the temperatures reach single digits it would make it the coldest playoff game in the history of Arrowhead Stadium.  The Chiefs' offense is less explosive without Kareem Hunt, their best running back. The Patriots' defense is underrated. It has a bend-but-don't break nature. Only six teams gave up fewer points than the Patriots, although playing the Jets, Bills and Dolphins twice each padded those defensive statistics. However, part of Bill Belichick's genius is his ability to see things on film and learn from a previous matchup. Look for the Patriots to be in proper position to thwart Patrick Mahomes, playing in his first NFL title game, and the rest of the Chiefs. Kansas City isn't going to get any cheap points against such a well-coached defense. If Belichick has a hidden wrinkle that Mahomes hasn't seen, he will unleash it here.   Another reason the total opened so high is because the Chiefs surrendered the second-most yards in the league and also the second-most passing yards. But Kansas City's defense is entirely different at home. The Chiefs gave up an average of 34.6 points on the road, but just 18 points per game at Arrowhead. And that's not including the Chiefs' playoff victory against the Colts last week. The Colts could manage just a single touchdown on offense against the Chiefs.  The Patriots are not explosive like they have been in past seasons. Losing Josh Gordon to suspension and Rob Gronkowski becoming just a shell of his former self because of injuries have weakened New England's offense. Even with Gordon, the Patriots averaged only 21.6 points in their road games. That's the lowest total in Tom Brady's career.  Brady did not have one of his better seasons. The Patriots rely on the running of Sony Michel and short passes now. The key to stopping Brady is having a strong pass rush without resorting to blitzes. The Chiefs can do that because they have three excellent pass rushers, Chris Jones, Dee Ford and Justin Houston. That trio combined to record 27 1/2 sacks. |
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01-20-19 | Rams +3.5 v. Saints | 26-23 | Win | 100 | 91 h 10 m | Show | |
The Saints hosted the Rams back in Week 9. The Rams were 1 1/2-point road favorites. Now look at the spread. There's a difference of four points, which I don't see between these two teams. These are the two best teams in the NFC deserving of meeting in the title game. But in my view the Rams are slightly better and that isn't negated by the Saints being home. It was huge for the Rams that they played earlier this season in the Superdome. They now have more of an idea of what to expect. Yes, the Saints beat the Rams, 45-35. But the score was tied 35-35 and the Rams had a chance to deliver a knockout blow to the Saints. They didn't do it - this time.  The Saints are at their best inside their dome. But a fast-track, carpet field without weather conditions is helpful for the Rams, too. They are explosive with reliance on speed. Jared Goff is far better when not affected by bad weather.  Take away their road loss to the Bears in cold weather and the Rams would be averaging 36.6 points a game. This is the first time LA is getting points all season. The Saints are going to have to score a ton of points to win and even more to cover the spread.  Lost in the glare of the Saints' playoff victory against the Eagles was New Orleans losing defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. He suffered a torn Achilles. That's a huge defensive loss for New Orleans. Rankins finally was living up to his vast potential with eight sacks while playing the run well.  Sean McValy is a coaching genius. I rank him as the best coach in the NFC. He had the vision to make the Rams more of a physical team instead of just a finesse passing team. He did this on a fly, too, implementing that late in the season. The move paid off against a Cowboys defense that is better than the Saints defense. The Rams ran for 273 yards against a Cowboys defense that ranked fifth versus the run.  On the flip side, the Rams held NFL rushing leader Ezekiel Elliott to 47 yards rushing on 20 carries. LA has a trump card on defense: Aaron Donald. He's the most dominant defensive lineman in football. He's be operating against Audrus Peat, who is playing with a broken hand. Donald can disrupt the Saints offense just by himself.Â
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01-20-19 | Illinois v. Iowa UNDER 158 | 71-95 | Loss | -105 | 2 h 38 m | Show | |
These teams have a history of going Under when playing in Iowa and I see that continuing here. I can see Illinois' freshmen having problems against the Hawkeyes' defense at this venue especially coming off a high-scoring home win. The Under has cashed the last four times the Illinis have gone against an above .500 opponent. Iowa is off an upset road victory against Penn State. The Under has cashed eight of the last 10 times Iowa has played after it won its previous game. |
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01-19-19 | Northern Colorado v. Weber State -4 | 64-78 | Win | 100 | 11 h 2 m | Show | |
These are the two best teams in the Big Sky Conference. Weber State is 6-0 versus Northern Colorado during the past three seasons in regular season action. The Wildcats, though, have revenge. Northern Colorado ended their season in the Big Sky Conference Tournament last season. That game was played at a neutral site.  Weber State has won 86 percent of its conference home games under Coach Randy Rahe. The Wildcats have a size advantage and the superior defense. Weber State doesn't lack for scoring averaging 82.6 points and is a strong defensive rebounding team so it can limit Northern Colorado's second chance opportunities.  Â
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01-19-19 | Heat -2.5 v. Bulls | Top | 117-103 | Win | 100 | 17 h 58 m | Show |
Miami is 0-2 on its current four-game road trip. The Heat meet the Bulls here before concluding their road swing against the revenge-minded Celtics on Monday. This is the spot for the Heat to make sure they don't go 0-4 on this trip.  Chicago is 0-9 in its last nine games. The Bulls just completed an embarrassing 0-5 road trip with a 30-point loss to the Nuggets this past Thursday.  The Bulls come back home for the first time in nearly two weeks at low ebb and suffering a key below-the-radar injury. Chicago rookie forward Wendell Carter Jr. suffered a thumb injury this week that is going to sideline him two-to-three months. The 6-foot-10 Carter was coming on averaging 10.3 rebounds and 7 rebounds per game. More important, he gave the Bulls their only physical presence in the paint. His toughness is going to be missed especially against a rugged, defensive-minded team such as Miami. The Heat surrender the fourth-fewest points in the league. The Bulls are last in scoring.  Miami lost 98-93 to the Pistons Friday night. The Heat made 5-of-19 free throws (26.3 percent) in that game setting a franchise-record for worst free throw shooting in a game with a minimum of 15 attempts. Miami isn't a good free throw shooting team mainly because of Hassan Whiteside, the worst free throw shooter in the league. But missing 19 of 24 free throws is absurd.  The Heat also didn't have Josh Richardson, their leading scorer, in their loss to the Pistons. Richardson missed the game due to illness. It's obviously a plus if he plays. But even if he doesn't I like the Heat. Their Friday starting group of Whiteside, James Johnson Rodney McGruder, Justise Winslow and Tyler Johnson had only played two minutes together all season. Now they would get to start a second straight game within 24 hours.  The Bulls lost to the Heat as four-point home underdogs, 103-96, when the teams met on Nov. 23. The Heat didn't have starting point guard Goran Dragic for that game either.  Chicago has lost its last four games at United Center. Three of those losses were by 17 points to the Nets, 28 to the Magic and 25 to the Timberwolves.Â
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01-19-19 | Sharks v. Lightning OVER 6.5 | 3-6 | Win | 100 | 8 h 14 m | Show | |
The oddsmaker could have opened this game at 7 - and it still likely would go Over. San Jose is the No. 3 goal scoring team in the NHL. Tampa Bay is No. 1.  The Sharks have scored three or more goals in 18 of their last 19 games, including the past 12. They have reached four or more goals 12 times during this span.  Tampa Bay is sure to be pumped after losing 4-2 to Toronto in its last home game. That loss followed a three-game road trip. The Lightning are now more comfortable at home. Prior to that game, Tampa Bay had scored 5.1 goals per game during its last seven home games.  These teams have a strong Over history, too, going 12-3-1 above the total during the past 16 matchups.Â
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01-19-19 | Florida International v. Marshall -8.5 | 97-105 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 47 m | Show | |
This is going to be a track meet. I see Florida International being slow here after coming from 16 points down with 12 minutes to pull off a stunning, 77-76, upset road win against Western Kentucky this past Thursday. The Golden Panthers were 10-point underdogs in that game. Marshall is unbeaten in Conference USA at 4-0. They are 4-0 the past four times facing the Golden Panthers, covering five of the last six meetings.Â
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01-18-19 | Pelicans v. Blazers -2.5 | Top | 112-128 | Win | 100 | 22 h 39 m | Show |
Both matchup-wise and situationally the Trail Blazers hold key edges.  Portland plays better defense than the Pelicans, who rank 27th in scoring defense, and also is the stronger rebounding team ranking No. 3 in the category. The Trail Blazers are playing well, too, winning seven of their last 10. Anthony Davis is an absolute monster up front, but Portland big man Josuf Nurkic is playing the best ball of his career coming off a triple/double and the Trail Blazers hold a backcourt edge with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.  As for the spot, Portland has a strong home-court. The Trail Blazers have won 19 of their 26 home games this season covering 62 percent. New Orleans is a bad road club losing 18 of its 24 away matchups while going 9-14 (39%) ATS in those games. This also is the Pelicans' fourth road game in seven days. Being bad on the road and weak defensively is a tough combination for the Pelicans to overcome.  The Trail Blazers have defeated the Pelicans in 13 of the last 15 regular-season games, including 132-119 at home on Nov. 1 in the lone meeting between the teams this season. Davis, though, did not play in that game.  Don't look for the Trail Blazers to take the Pelicans lightly, however. Portland still has bitter memories of the Pelicans sweeping the Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs last season.Â
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01-18-19 | Maple Leafs v. Panthers +130 | 1-3 | Win | 130 | 9 h 15 m | Show | |
The record shows Florida to have lost seven straight games. A closer look at the record indicates the Panthers have lost six of those games on the road and four of those defeats were by one goal. The Panthers' one home game during this span was a 4-3 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets. So Florida is not getting outclassed most of the time. The Panthers own a winning home mark on the season and are back in friendly territory desperate to gain their first victory of 2019. They are in a great spot to achieve an upset win here. Toronto just upset the Lightning, 4-2, at Tampa Bay on Thursday in a huge victory. The Maple Leafs are in a letdown spot and playing without rest. There's a good possibility, too, that backup goalie Garret Sparks will be in net for Toronto. He has a 3.00 GAA. The Maple Leafs return to Toronto following this matchup. This has been a home team series with the host winning 10 of the past 11 times. Florida has defeated Toronto four consecutive times at home.
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01-18-19 | St. Joe's v. St. Louis -8.5 | 57-68 | Win | 100 | 6 h 13 m | Show | |
St. Louis is the superior team and on a nice run winning five in a row. St. Joe's upset Davidson in its last game. However, prior to that, the Hawks had dropped four in a row. The Hawks are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight games and are down their second-leading scorer, Lamarr Kimble, who recently suffered a hand injury.  |
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01-17-19 | BYU v. Pepperdine +3.5 | 87-76 | Loss | -109 | 7 h 49 m | Show | |
Lorenzo Romar is doing an outstanding job with Pepperdine. The Waves have covered 10 of their 16 lined games, including going 5-1 ATS at home.  Word is BYU could be missing its third leading scorer with guard Jashire Hardnett dealing with a hand injury. The Cougars have been brutal on the road covering just one of their last 11 away matchups. They have lost SU to Illinois State, Weber State and UNLV as road favorites already this season.  Even in bad years, Pepperdine has been tough against BYU at home covering the past seven times.Â
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01-17-19 | Oregon v. Arizona UNDER 133.5 | Top | 59-54 | Win | 100 | 11 h 26 m | Show |
After three straight Overs, look for Oregon to go Under the total in this matchup. The Ducks are going back to slowing things down following games against racehorses UCLA and USC.  Arizona plays at a much more deliberate tempo than the Bruins and Trojans. Both Oregon and Arizona are outstanding defensive teams. Oregon ranks 24th in defensive efficiency and gives up the 35th-fewest points in the nation. The Ducks are without their star shot blocker injured center Bol Bol,but could get big man Kenny Wooten back. The Ducks apply tremendous pressure on the ball ranking No. 1 in the Pac 12 in forcing turnovers.  The Wildcats rank 45th in scoring defense holding foes to 66.1 points. Two strong defenses in a game where the tempo should be slow. That spells Under.Â
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01-17-19 | Maple Leafs +128 v. Lightning | 4-2 | Win | 128 | 9 h 20 m | Show | |
It's tought to go against Tampa Bay at home, but the Maple Leafs are going to give the Lightning their best punch. Toronto is in circle-the-wagons mode losing five of its last seven games.  Things should start to turn around, though, for the Maple Leafs with Frederik Andersen back in goal. This will be his second game after being out eight games due to a groin injury. He will be less rusty than he was in Toronto's last game, an embarrassing 6-3 home loss to the Avalanche. That happened on Monday. The Maple Leafs have been idle ever since. They are itching to test themselves versus the Lightning. Toronto has won 15 of its last 21 road contests. Even though the Lightning are home, the Maple Leafs are in the better spot. Tampa Bay just returned from a three-game road swing that concluded Tuesday night in Dallas where the Lightning defeated the Stars, 2-0. Dallas lost despite having six power play opportunities and getting off 35 shots on goal.  This marks Tampa Bay's fourth game in six days - all at difference venues. The Lightning are vulnerable to lose here. Look for Toronto to seize the opportunity.Â
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01-17-19 | Kings v. Hornets -3 | 95-114 | Win | 100 | 14 h 3 m | Show | |
Charlotte is one of those decent home, bad road teams. The Hornets are 14-8 at home, 6-15 on the road. One of those away defeats came just five days ago at Sacramento. The Kings won, 104-97. So the Hornets have short revenge motivation. Charlotte lost by seven points at the Kings. The Hornets were 13-for-22 (59.1 percent) at the free throw line in that game. They rank ninth on the season in free throw percentage at 78.9 percent.  The Kings are 9-11 SU on the road, 10-10 ATS. Sacramento has been far worse than average, though, recently on the road losing and failing to cover during their past four away matchups. The Kings haven't been on the road for nine days. They lost their last road contest, 115-111, to the Suns, who by far have the worst record in the Western Conference. Sacramento is fat and happy with three straight victories - all coming at home. Now the Kings go on the road where they have not looked good.Â
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01-17-19 | Blackhawks v. Rangers OVER 6.5 | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 3 h 16 m | Show | |
The Blackhawks have gone Over the total in their last five games. They have been a big Over team all season especially on the road where the Over stands 32-15-4 during the past 51 instances. It's an easy formula to see why. Chicago can score, but plays no defense. The Blackhawks have allowed an average of 3.8 goals in their last five games. They've also allowed an average of 4.6 goals in their last six games. |
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01-16-19 | Sharks v. Coyotes +131 | 3-6 | Win | 131 | 11 h 31 m | Show | |
The Coyotes are in a great ambush spot here. They had won three in a row until suffering an embarrassing 7-1 road loss to Calgary on Sunday.  Arizona has had three days to stew about that loss. The Coyotes should be pumped for the Sharks being back home. The Coyotes catch the Sharks fat and happy. San Jose is off a satisfying 5-2 home win against the Penguins. This puts the Sharks in a vulnerable spot traveling into a different time zone while not getting into Arizona until the wee hours of the morning.  San Jose also is likely to go with backup goalie Aaron Dell.Â
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01-16-19 | Minnesota v. Illinois +2 | 68-95 | Win | 100 | 9 h 43 m | Show | |
Both teams aren't very good. But Illinois has played a tough schedule and has talented freshmen who are coming on. The Illini desperately need to win this home game. They draw Minnesota fat and happy after an easy win against Rutgers. The Gophers have a history of not covering against sub .500 teams going 6-20 ATS in that role the past 26 times.  Illinois is good at forcing turnovers, are playing at home, in circle-the-wagons mode and won't be outclassed here.Â
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01-16-19 | Spurs +1 v. Mavs | Top | 105-101 | Win | 100 | 19 h 44 m | Show |
Gregg Popovich. That's the short answer as to why I like the Spurs here. San Antonio is in circle-the-wagons mentality having lost three of their last four games, including an embarrassing 108-93 loss to the Hornets at home on Monday.  I trust Popovich to have his team fired-up. Dallas is tough at home. But the Mavericks are not as good as San Antonio and they have lost 14 of their last 19 games.  The Spurs have been excellent in this situation covering 11 of the last 15 times when playing on one day's rest.  There is a good chance the Spurs get back Rudy Gay. He has missed the last five games with a sprained wrist. It's an added bonus, too, if the Spurs get back key reserve Marco Belinelli, who suffered a knee injury this past Saturday and is day-to-day.Â
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01-16-19 | Magic +3.5 v. Pistons | 115-120 | Loss | -108 | 17 h 17 m | Show | |
Orlando is playing its best ball coming off consecutive home victories against the Celtics and Rockets this past weekend. The Magic are rested having been idle the past two days. They catch the Pistons returning home following a four-game West Coast trip that concluded Monday night in Utah.  Detroit is 2-8 in its last 10 games and has a losing ATS mark when favored.  The Magic have covered seven of the past eight times versus the Pistons, including defeating them, 109-107, as 1.5-point home favorites on Dec. 30.  One of the major keys in beating Detroit is slowing down Blake Griffin. The Pistons beat the Clippers for their lone victory during their recently concluded four-game trip because Griffin lit up his former teammates for 44 points. Orlando has the defensive stopper to bother Griffin with Aaron Gordon. He helped hold Griffin to just four field goals and 15 points during the previous meeting.Â
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01-15-19 | Penguins +127 v. Sharks | 2-5 | Loss | -100 | 14 h 36 m | Show | |
San Jose is playing well, but I'll take a plus price with the Penguins.  Pittsburgh is 10-2 in its last 12 games and 6-1 in its past seven road contests. However, the Penguins are coming off a disappointing, 5-2, road loss to the Kings. The Penguins had backup goalie Casey DeSmith in net for that game. Now Matt Murray will be in goal. Pittsburgh has won nine straight with Murray in net. Murray is 8-0-1 with two shutouts in road games this season.  Pittsburgh has defeated San Jose in four of the last five meetings.Â
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01-15-19 | Warriors -110 v. Nuggets | Top | 142-111 | Win | 100 | 20 h 21 m | Show |
Kudos to the Nuggets for owning the best record in the Western Conference at the halfway point of the season. I do believe the Nuggets are legitimate. They've always had a strong offense and now their defense is improved.  However ... the Nuggets are not in the class of the two-time defending world champion Warriors especially now that Golden State has Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all back in the lineup. A motivated Warriors squad can beat any team any where. The Warriors certainly aren't going to lack incentive here trailing Denver by one-half game for best record in the West. Golden State also has revenge for a 100-98 road loss to the Nuggets from Oct. 21.  Golden State has won six of its last seven games, including four in a row. The Warriors are averaging 130 points during their las six games. I want them going for me in this pick'em type range.Â
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01-15-19 | LSU +4 v. Ole Miss | 83-69 | Win | 100 | 7 h 34 m | Show | |
LSU showed it could win on the road beating Arkansas this past Saturday. The Tigers are a good value play against overacheiving Mississippi, which is in a letdown spot after breaking into the Top 25 for the first time in six years. The Rebels achieved this by beating two Top-15 opponents last week. Heady stuff, but the Rebels are not used to being the hunted now. The Rebels have been underdogs in their last three games, all SEC matchups.  LSU has won five in a row. The Tigers are the more talented team with the size and perimeter shooting to knock off the Rebels straight-up.
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01-15-19 | Hurricanes v. Rangers +130 | 2-6 | Win | 130 | 11 h 38 m | Show | |
The Rangers have the Hurricanes' number when the two teams play at Madison Square Garden. Carolina hasn't won there since 2010, a string of 15 road losses in a row. The Rangers are 25-5 the past 30 times hosting the Hurricanes.  The Rangers are going to be fired up, too, after their coach, David Quinn, ripped their effort following a 7-5 loss to the Blue Jackets on Sunday.  So I'll ride the Rangers at this plus price.Â
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01-15-19 | Eastern Michigan v. Akron UNDER 128.5 | 49-51 | Win | 100 | 17 h 21 m | Show | |
These two teams met twice last season and the combined final score totals were 125 and 112 points, respectively. Both games went Under the total. This was the fifth time in the last six meetings the Under has cashed in this series.   Expect that trend to continue in today's matchup.  Akron is averaging 66 points in three MAC games this season. The Zips are shooting only 36 percent from the floor and 23.7 percent from 3-point range in conference play.  Both teams play at a very slow tempo. The Under is 18-7-1 in Eastern Michigan's last 26 MAC contests. The Zips figure to struggled against Eastern Michigan's matchup zone defense given their shooting woes. Akron is playing solid defense this season ranking 50th in field goal percentage defense.Â
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01-14-19 | Blazers +2.5 v. Kings | 107-115 | Loss | -103 | 12 h 20 m | Show | |
Yes, the Trail Blazers had to play last night falling, 116-113, at Denver when their huge comeback came up just short against the Western Conference-leading Nuggets. Portland had won four in a row entering that matchup. The Kings are not the Nuggets. They are a 22-21 team that has failed to cover six of the last seven times when going against an above .500 opponent.  Sacramento has a much improved backcourt with De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic. But it's trumped by Portland's star guard tandem of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The Trail Blazers also have the best big man on the floor, Jusuf Nurkic.  Portland should dominate the boards ranking third in the NBA in rebounding while the Kings are a bottom-10 rebounding team. The Trail Blazers also have defeated the Kings during the past four meetings going 3-0-1 ATS.Â
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01-14-19 | Sabres v. Oilers UNDER 6 | 2-7 | Loss | -120 | 10 h 42 m | Show | |
The Sabres have gone Under seven of the last eight times they have played Western Conference opponents. Buffalo has scored three or fewer goals in seven of its last nine games.  Despite having the great Connor McDavid, the Oilers rank 24th in scoring. They haven't broken the three-goal barrier in nine of their last 12 games. Both teams desperately need a victory here. So don't expect a wide open game.Â
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01-14-19 | Grizzlies v. Rockets -6 | Top | 94-112 | Win | 100 | 19 h 57 m | Show |
The Rockets average 10 more points per game than the struggling Grizzlies and are in a kill spot returning home after blowing a 12-point lead against the Magic while suffering a 116-109 road upset loss to the Magic Sunday.  Houston is 11-1 SU, 10-1-1 ATS in its last 12 home games, including defeating the Grizzlies, 113-101, on Dec. 31. The Rockets got too lax against the Magic and it cost them. Expect a much stronger effort and focus from the Rockets. Motivation, not talent, is the key for the Rockets against this opponent. And, now, Houston should have that.  Based on talent, the Rockets should bury Memphis, which is 7-18 in its last 25 games and 1-7 in its last eight. The Grizzlies have lost by seven points or more in six of their past seven defeats.  The Grizzlies are playing short-handed, too, down three of their rotation players with Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks and Chandler Parsons all injured.  The Rockets are playing without rest, but the Grizzlies are 2-8 ATS when playing on one day rest.Â
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01-14-19 | Blackhawks v. Devils OVER 6 | 5-8 | Win | 100 | 8 h 43 m | Show | |
The Blackhawks have a decent offense, but play little defense. That's a golden formula for an Over. So it's no surprise the Under has won only six times during the Blackhawks' last 26 games.  Chicago has scored three of more goals during its last four games. The Blackhawks also have allowed 15 goals in their last four games, an average of 3.7 goals.  The Devils have a better offense than defense, too. So they are worth playing Over.Â
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01-14-19 | Blues v. Capitals OVER 5.5 | 4-1 | Loss | -115 | 4 h 55 m | Show | |
The Over has cashed the past six times these two teams have met. Look for that trend to continue as each team is going with their backup goalie. Washington is the No. 7 scoring team in the league. They are facing Jake Allen, one of the weaker backup goalies. The Blues are dealing with injuries, but still have managed to score 3 or more goals in five of their last six games. |
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01-13-19 | Cavs v. Lakers OVER 217.5 | Top | 101-95 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 46 m | Show |
Maybe the oddsmaker doesn't realize how bad Cleveland's defense really is because its season stats show the Cavaliers ranking 23rd in scoring defense. But no team has played worst defense than the Cavaliers during the past two weeks. Cleveland has yielded 117 or more points in seven of its last eight games. During their past four games, the Cavaliers are surrendering a whopping 128.5 points a game. Not helping matters for the Cavaliers is their top shot blocker, Larry Nance, is out. The Lakers are averaging 111.5 points in their past four home games. LeBron James isn't back, but talented scorers Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma are. The Lakers want to light up the scoreboard to prove they aren't just about James especially going against his former team.
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01-13-19 | Coyotes v. Flames OVER 6 | 1-7 | Win | 100 | 9 h 34 m | Show | |
The Coyotes are averaging four goals per game in their last three games and draw Mike Smith in net. Smith is the lesser of Calgary's two goalies. He has a 3.09 GAA. Arizona is playing without rest after upsetting the Oilers on Saturday. The Coyotes are 5-1 to the Over the past six times when playing on the second of consecutive days. The Flames are the No. 2 scoring team in the NHL. They have produced three or more goals in seven straight games, netting at least four goals in six of these games. The Over has cashed in six of their last seven games.Â
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01-13-19 | Blazers v. Nuggets -4 | 113-116 | Loss | -109 | 19 h 16 m | Show | |
Denver got caught peeking ahead to this home matchup. The Nuggets were upset, 102-93, on the road by the lowly Suns Saturday night.  Even with that defeat, though, the Nuggets still are 7-2 in their last nine games. They own the best record in the Western Conference.  The Nuggets are 9-2 ATS in their past 11 games at Pepsi Center. Portland is 4-11 ATS the past 15 times it has played on the road versus an opponent with a winning home mark.  The Trail Blazers also enter this matchup fat and happy. They are on a four-game win streak - all home wins. Their last three victories have been against bad teams - Knicks, Bulls and Hornets. This is Portland's first road contest in 12 days. The Trail Blazers are 0-3-1 ATS the last four times playing the Nuggets.Â
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01-13-19 | Panthers v. Canucks -102 | 1-5 | Win | 100 | 17 h 9 m | Show | |
I want Vancouver going for me, especially at this fair price. It's not just because the Panthers have lost five in a row and are carrying a huge fatigue rating.  The last time these teams met was back on Oct. 13. The Canucks won, 3-2. But the take from that game was the Panthers putting a dirty hit on star rookie Elias Pettersson, who was checked hard into the boards by Mike Matheson and suffered a concussion.  Vancouver is mad about that. The Canucks also draw the Panthers playing their third road game in four days and fourth away contest in six days.  The Canucks are without Pettersson, who is out this time with a knee injury. But they are expected to get back winger Josh Leivo to bolster their first line. Leivo had missed the last three games with an injury, but practiced Saturday and is likely to play.Â
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01-13-19 | Eagles v. Saints -8 | Top | 14-20 | Loss | -105 | 54 h 29 m | Show |
No the Saints aren't blowing out the Eagles by 41 points like they did at home in Week 11. Philadelphia's secondary is in better physical shape and Nick Foles has replaced ailing Carson Wentz at quarterback.  But this isn't enough to keep the Eagles within a touchdown of the Saints.  New Orleans is a level higher this season than the Eagles and playing inside their dome stadium where Drew Brees threw 22 touchdown passes with just one interception. The Eagles struggled against Mitch Trubisky on grass last week surviving only because of Cody Parkey's bad luck on his final field goal attempt. Brees on a fast track with Alvin Karma, Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram is too much offense for the Eagles. Karma and Ingram both are far superior to any of the Eagles running backs. Thomas is the best wide receiver on the field. The Eagles carry a fatigue rating playing in their third straight road matchup while the Saints are rested. Offensive mastermind Sean Payton is dangerous with extra prep time. The Eagles have failed to cover nine the last 13 times they have played on carpet.   Foles may be the top backup quarterback in the league. But if he were a starter he would rank among the bottom half. Foles has started the past four games. He has an eight-to-five TD-to-interception ratio during this time. The Saints are much improved defensively. During Weeks 10 through 15 - when they were competing hard for playoff seeding - the Saints gave up 12.3 points per game. No team scored more than 17 points on them during this time.  You need a balanced offense and ball-control to beat the Saints inside the Louisiana Superdome. The Eagles rank 28th rushing. New Orleans has the No. 2 run defense.  Credit to the Eagles for getting this far. But their journey to repeat as Super Bowl champions ends here.Â
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01-12-19 | Penguins v. Kings +142 | 2-5 | Win | 142 | 21 h 43 m | Show | |
The teams met Dec. 15 in Pittsburgh and the Penguins nipped the Kings, 4-3, in overtime. The Kings had more shots on goal than the Penguins.  Since then the Kings have gone a respectable 6-5. They are in an excellent spot to get their revenge on Pittsburgh and are at an attractive underdog price.  The Kings are in revenge mode and are coming off an embarrassing home loss to the Senators from Thursday. They catch the Penguins off a 7-4 road win against the Ducks Friday night. That was the Penguins' first road game in nine days.  LA is likely to draw backup Pittsburgh goalie Casey DeSmith. |
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01-12-19 | Coyotes v. Oilers -138 | 3-2 | Loss | -138 | 21 h 42 m | Show | |
The Coyotes are one of the most banged-up teams in the league. They are missing their top goalie and leading scorer among many others. Edmonton is in a position to take advantage. The Oilers have won three of their last five games.  Arizona ranks 29th in scoring and must deal with Connor McDavid. The Oilers have defeated the Coyotes seven of the past eight times, including 3-1 at Arizona 10 days ago.Â
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01-12-19 | Hornets +5.5 v. Kings | 97-104 | Loss | -105 | 19 h 2 m | Show | |
If there was anything positive for the Hornets in their embarrassing 127-96 road loss to the Trail Blazers Friday night it was none of their players had to log big minutes. That should help Charlotte in this matchup. The Hornets have been blown out now in two straight games, having lost 128-109 to the Clippers in LA on Tuesday. However, only once all season have the Hornets dropped three games in a row and that was more than a month ago.  The Trail Blazers and Clippers are superior to the Hornets especially when playing them at home. The Kings aren't. Sacramento has lost one fewer game than Charlotte. The Hornets are dropping down in class after facing the Trail Blazers and Clippers. The Kings aren't playing well either losing five of their last seven games.  Just two games ago on this past Tuesday, the Suns defeated the Kings, 115-111. The Hornets met the Suns in Phoenix three games ago this past Sunday and beat the Suns, 119-113.  Charlotte has the best player in Kemba Walker. The Hornets also have covered in four of their last five visits to Sacramento.Â
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01-12-19 | St. Mary's -5 v. Loyola Marymount | 71-60 | Win | 100 | 18 h 12 m | Show | |
I'm not buying Loyola Marymount as a live 'dog here. St. Mary's is a traditional power having won 20 or more games in 11 consecutive seasons. The Gaels can't afford a loss here knowing Gonzaga is highly likely to win the West Coast Conference.  Loyola Marymount's 12-3 record is bogus because of an easy schedule. The Gaels have dominated Loyola Marymount winning the past 10 times, including covering in the last five meetings. St. Mary's should have no problem taking advantage of the Lions' weak 3-point shooting.Â
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01-12-19 | Cowboys v. Rams -7 | 22-30 | Win | 100 | 46 h 39 m | Show | |
There are three major reasons why I like the Rams to beat the Cowboys by more than a touchdown: Situation, home/road data and coaching.  Let's start with the situation. LA is rested. The Rams should be well prepared given two weeks to prepare with Sean McVay, who just might be the sharpest offensive-minded coach in football. The Rams won 11 games under McVay last season emerging as a force. However, the Rams suffered from playoff inexperience and lost in the first round to the Falcons. This year the Rams won 13 games and improved even more. Jared Goff and Co. now have playoff experience. A rested Todd Gurley trumps Ezekiel Elliott especially with a far better downfield passing attack on his side. The Cowboys entered this season having won one playoff game in Jason Garrett's previous seven years as head coach. McVay versus Garrett is a huge coaching mismatch in LA's favor. Home/road splits are huge for both teams. The Rams went 7-1 at home, averaging nine more points per game at home while giving up 8.2 points less per contest. Goff is a California quarterback. His quarterack rating was nearly 35 points higher when he played in LA. Dallas, by contrast, averaged 7.5 points fewer per game when on the road with Dak Prescott's quarterback rating being nearly 24 points lower away from Dallas. The Cowboys averaged a league-low 5.8 points in the first half when on the road. The Cowboys are heavily run-oriented. Prescott has severe limitations when throwing more than just short passes. The Cowboys also have a cluster injury problem at wide receiver. They are not built to come from behind if the Rams should jump out to a big lead against them.Â
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01-12-19 | Spurs v. Thunder UNDER 227.5 | 112-122 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 31 m | Show | |
This total is inflated based on the matchup these two teams had two days ago. The Spurs beat the Thunder in double overtime, 154-147.  That was a wild game. This one shouldn't be. Both teams are above average defensive clubs. The Thunder are in stop-the-pain mode having lost three in a row. Oklahoma City ranks eighth in scoring defense and is in the top five in shooting percentage defense.  San Antonio gives up the 11th fewest points per game in the league. Until that wild Thursday game, the Spurs had not allowed more than 111 points in 16 straight games. Even with that crazy double overtime game, the Under sitll has cashed six of the past eight times in this series. The Under also has won the last four times these teams have played in Oklahoma City.
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01-12-19 | Colts +5 v. Chiefs | Top | 13-31 | Loss | -105 | 121 h 48 m | Show |
Andy Reid is a likely Hall of Fame coach. But when it comes to the playoffs he is a Hall of Fame chump. Reid's team have lost eight of their last nine playoff games. This includes a 1-4 postseason mark with the Chiefs. The Titans upset the Chiefs as 8 1/2-point road 'dogs last season in the Chiefs' first playoff game. These Colts are far better than that Tennessee team. The Chiefs went just 3-3 down the stretch going 1-4-1 ATS with their lone cover coming against the Raiders.  Indianapolis is 10-1 in its last 11 games. The Colts' defense has been far better than perceived. So has their offensive line, which gave up the fewest sacks in the league. Marlon Mack has emerged as a running back threat. He's better than any of Kansas City's running backs with Kareem Hunt gone.  Patrick Mahomes had a great season. But so did Andrew Luck, who threw the second-most TD passes on the season in back of only Mahomes. Luck has playoff experience, something Mahomes lacks.  Kansas City's defense has played better at home. But the Colts hold a defensive edge. They've held five of their last six foes to 21 points or fewer. The Chiefs defense surrendered the second-most points per game and second most-yards per game. The Colts have become a physical unit that can play ball control. That's the way to beat the Chiefs. Â
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01-12-19 | Drexel v. NC-Wilmington -3.5 | 83-97 | Win | 100 | 15 h 6 m | Show | |
NC Wilmington is in circle-the-wagons mode having already lost two straight Colonial Athletic Association games at home. The Seahawks draw Drexel, a team they have beat six consecutive times, with the Dragons in a letdown spot. The Dragons just shocked Charleston, 79-78, as a 12 1/2-point road 'dog on Thursday. Drexel rallied from a 13-point deficit. Charleston had the second-longest home win streak at 22 in back of only Houston.   NC Wilmington has covered five of its last six home games, while Drexel is 1-4 ATS following a victory.
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01-11-19 | Penguins v. Ducks UNDER 6 | 7-4 | Loss | -101 | 11 h 31 m | Show | |
Anaheim is the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL. The Ducks have scored just 12 goals in their last nine games, all losses. They have failed to score more than two goals in eight of these games.  The Penguins, on the other hand, are averaging four goals per game during their last 10 games.  So something has to give, offense or defense? I see defense carrying the play. A total of 6 is too high for a Ducks game. The Under is 5-0-2 when the Ducks have had a 6 total.The Over has yet to cash.   This is the first game the Penguins are playing in California this season. They are not used to a three-hour time difference. Under has been a strong profit-maker when the Ducks meet an Eastern Conference opponent. The Under has won 72 percent of the time during the past 26 instances.Â
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01-11-19 | Cavs v. Rockets OVER 216.5 | 113-141 | Win | 100 | 4 h 41 m | Show | |
Cleveland ranks last in defensive field goal percentage. The Cavaliers are surrendering 122.7 points in their last seven games and just lost their best shot-blocker, Larry Nance.  The Cavaliers, though, just put up 124 points against the Pelicans. The Pelicans are a bad defensive team. But Indiana isn't. The Pacers rank No. 2 defensively in the NBA. The Cavaliers scored 115 against them in the game before New Orleans.  The Rockets have permitted at least 101 points during their last 11 games. They are giving up an average of 114.4 points in their last four games.Â
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01-11-19 | Bucks v. Wizards +7 | Top | 106-113 | Win | 100 | 17 h 55 m | Show |
Sometimes facts lead to misperceptions. There are two examples of this in the Bucks-Wizards Friday matchup. The Bucks have the best record in the NBA. John Wall is a great player being a five-time All-Star. Both sentences are facts. However ... there is more than meets the eye in both statements. Knowing them should help lead to a profitable investment by backing the Wizards.  The Bucks deserve huge kudos for compiling the top winning percentage in the league through 40 games. But the Bucks have put together their outstanding record mainly at home. They are 10-7 on the road, 8-8 ATS. So spread-wise, Milwaukee is merely an average away club. The Bucks also are in a flat spot after a huge nationally televised road win against the Rockets and James Harden on Wednesday. Proving themselves on national TV is a big deal to the small market Bucks.  This game is far from the madding crowd. It's a low-key affair against a 17-25 Washington team that is minus its best player, Wall.  Guess what, though? You can make a strong case Washington is better team-wise without Wall. Remember when Wall was injured last season? The Wizards proceeded to play their best ball winning 11 of 14 games. That streak pushed them into the playoffs. It could happen again this season. The Wizards are 4-3 and 5-2 ATS since Wall was lost for the season. There is more to the Wizards than Wall. Otto Porter Jr. has gotten the rust off since returning from a quad injury. Bradley Beal is a top-scoring backcourt threat. Trevor Ariza is an underrated two-way pro. Wall's injury has also brought more prominence to unsung guard Tomas Satoransky and center Thomas Bryant.  Washington has won and covered each of its last three home games. The Wizards are below-the-radar and should be highly motivated to prove themselves in this spot. Please note that since I released this game late Thursday night, the line has dropped quite a bit as word is out that Giannis Antetokounmpo is doubtful and Eric Bledsoe is questionable. I would not make this a max unit wager at the current number. However, the handicap still holds. The Wizards are very live here to beat the Bucks straight-up if Milwaukee doesn't have Antetokounmpo. |
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