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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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04-23-17 | Cavs v. Pacers OVER 212.5 | Top | 106-102 | Loss | -105 | 25 h 17 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cavs overcame the largest halftime deficit (25 points) in postseason history in Game 3 to take a 3-0 in their first round series against the Pacers. Indiana built a 26-point, third-quarter lead in Game 3, before the Cavaliers rallied to deliver the third-largest comeback victory in postseason history. After suffering one of the worst collapses in NBA playoff history, the Pacers take the court on Sunday looking to avoid a four-game sweep. Cleveland: LBJ scored 41 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out 12 assists in leading the way for the Cavs. "LeBron willed us home, 41, 12 and 13, played the whole second half," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. "That's what playoff basketball is all about. You got to be willing to sacrifice and lay it on the line to win a game, and that's what he did for us." No one should really be surprised, as LBJ has done this before. LBJ moved into third place on the NBA's postseason scoring list (5,669) -- passing Kobe Bryant -- with his latest outing and is averaging 32.7-9.7-10.7 in the series. He connected on six three pointers, as Cleveland went 21-of-44 from three-point range (47.7%) and now have made 45 three-pointers through three games. Indiana: Paul George had 36 points and a postseason career-best 15 rebounds in Game 3 and is now averaging 32.3 PPG in teh series. However, Turner and Miles are both averaging only 7.7 PPG and have been the targets of George's criticism. It's now or never for the Pacers, who at best, can send this series back to Cleveland for a Game 5. The pick: The Pacers were stunned after the 119-114 loss as they went from being on the verge of making it a series to basically having no chance "'Do you want to go home or not?' That's the mentality," Indiana swingman C.J. Miles told reporters. "That's how you get over it. 'Do you want to keep playing?' That's pretty much the only thing you can take into the next game." Point guard Jeff Teague is among the players talking the good fight, saying "we're playing for pride now. We're all competitors in here and we all believe in one another. We're not getting swept." Indiana is averaging 111.0 PPG in the series (averaged 105.1 during the season) but has allowed Cleveland to average 111.0 PPG (allowed 105.3 in the regular season) on 51.0 percent shooting, not to mention averaging making 15 three-pointers per game. Can (will) the Pacers live to fight another day? Maybe bu the Over is a 10* play. |
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04-22-17 | Canadiens v. Rangers OVER 5 | Top | 1-3 | Loss | -100 | 13 h 23 m | Show |
The pick: Only one of the first five games have ended with my than five goals and that was Montreal's 4-3 OT win in Game 2. Just a feeling here but I expect Montreal to go down swinging and maybe send this back to Montreal for a Game 7. The Canadiens had 118 shots over the first three games of the series but were held to 24 shots in Game 4 and had just 20 over the final 54 minutes of Game 5. Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-22-17 | Raptors v. Bucks OVER 191 | Top | 87-76 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: Most felt that the Milwaukee Bucks would fall out of the East's playoff field after losing Jabarai Parker to an injury. Instead, a late-season surge allowed them to earn the No. 6 seed and now in their first rouns series against the favored Raptors (No. 3 seed), the Bucks have a chance to take a 3-1 lead in today's Game 4. The Bucks last won a playoff series in 2001 but won Game 1 in Toronto by 14 points and then routed the Raptors 104-77 back in Milwaukee in Game 3. "They ambushed us," Raptors head coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "There was no aspect of our game that we executed whatsoever." Toronto's leading scorer, All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan (27.3 in the regular season), missed all eight of his field-goal attempts! |
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04-21-17 | Rockets v. Thunder OVER 224 | Top | 113-115 | Win | 100 | 30 h 5 m | Show |
The set-up: Russell Westbrook keeps saying that winning is all that matters but a third straight loss to the Rockets in Game 3 will all but end OKC's chances in this series with Houston. Westbrook payed poorly in Game 1 and the OKC big men were dominated by Houston's frontcourt, getting outrebounded 56-41 in a 118-87 Houston blowout. Then in Game 2, Westbrook produced the highest-scoring triple-double in playoff history with 51 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds but he wilted in the fourth quarter and the Thunder fell 115-111. Westbrook was just 4-of-18 shooting while playing the entire final quarter and it equated to a major missed opportunity as Oklahoma City let a 15-point, first-half lead slip away. Houston: Harden is averaging 36 points, 5.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists so far, with the biggest stat being Houston's 2-0 lead in the series. The Rockets received 93 of their 115 points in Game 2 from the backcourt quartet of Harden, Eric Gordon (22 points), Lou Williams (21) and Patrick Beverley (15). Primarily known for his defensive prowess, Beverley is averaging 18 points on 14-of-22 in the first two games. A worry for Houston is Ryan Anderson, who is averaging four points on 2-of-14 shooting, including 11 straight misses from three-point range. Oklahoma City: Head coach Billy Donovan questioned his decision not to have Westbrook take his customary break on the bench to start the fourth quarter of Game 2 but Westbrook is not OKC's problem. The supporting class has just not stepped up, starting with SG Victor Oladipo (15.9 PPG), who has been awful. He's averaging 8.5 points on 5-of-26 shooting. The center duo of Steven Adams (5.5 & 6.0) and Enes Kanter (6.0 & 2.0) have been "no-shows" as well. During the regular season, Kanter averaged 14.3 & 6.7 and Adams 11.3 & 7.7. The pick: It's now or never for OKC and there's clearly plenty of room for improvement for each player other than Westbrook. Houston allowed 110.8 PPG on the road during the regular season (so OKC should score) but remember, only Golden State is averaging more points than Houston's 115.3 per. Make the Over an 8* play. |
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04-20-17 | Sharks v. Oilers OVER 5 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 111 | 15 h 47 m | Show |
The set-up: The San Jose Sharks made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals last year (lost to Pittsburgh) but after overcoming a 2-0 deficit in Game 1 of this series with the Oilers to win 3-2 in OT, were shut out in Games 2 and 3. However, the Sharks rebounded with a resounding 7-0 home win in Game 4, setting up Thursday's pivotal Game 5 in Edmonton. San Jose: The Sharks tied the franchise record for goals in a postseason game and set the mark for most power-play tallies (four) in Game 4 7-0 thrashing. They also received contributions from two players who recently returned from injuries as Logan Couture scored a pair of goals while Joe Thornton notched an assist. San Jose also received a big effort from its captain in Game 4 as Joe Pavelski scored his first two goals of the series, including one just 15 seconds into the contest, and added an assist. "We were just ready," Pavelski told reporters. "Everyone was ready. ... There weren't really any lapses in our game." Defenseman Brent Burns, who led the team in scoring during the regular season with a career-high 76 points, was another member of the team to break out, registering three assists for his first points of the series. Edmonton: The Oilers continue to play undisciplined hockey, as they were short-handed eight times, including a five-minute major during which San Jose cashed in once. That's 22 penalties in the series, so far. Captain Connor McDavid has gone two games without a point, his longest drought since being kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests on Jan. 31 and Feb. 2. The reigning Art Ross Trophy winner ended the regular season with a 14-game point streak and extended it over the first two games of the series. The pick: San Jose had its 'explosion' in Game 4 but Edmonton has yet to have one of its own, as the Oilers have scored 2, 1, 1 and zero goals in the four games. This from a team which was one of the league's higher-scoring teams, averaging 2.88 GPG. There's much riding on this all-important Game 5 but with Edmonton giving San Jose too many power play opportunities, the Oilers had better put a few pucks behind San Jose's Martin Jones in this one. Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-20-17 | Spurs v. Grizzlies OVER 184.5 | Top | 94-105 | Win | 100 | 14 h 48 m | Show |
The set-up: This series hasn't been close so far, with the Spurs winning 111-82 in Game 1 and then 96-82 in Game 2. Memphis head coach David Fizdale was fined $30,000 on Wednesday for unleashing a memorable rant about the officiating after Game 2 and one of his points was that Kawhi Leonard attempted more free throws (19) than his entire team (15). Memphis has been unable to control Leonard, who is averaging 34.5 points on 20-of-28 shooting from the floor while making all 28 free-throw attempts.As for Memphis, the team is shooting a combined 38.5% (29.8% on threes), while averaging 80.5 PPG. Simply put, that has to change! San Antonio: Leonard just gets better and better offensively (he's already arguably the NBA's best defender) and appears ready to obliterate his previous best scoring postseason of his six-year career of 22.5 set last season. I'm not sure most people realize just how much the Spurs rely on Leonard. Parker has been a big surprise, averaging 16.5 PPG on 53.8% shooting so far but other than PF Aldridge (15.5 & 5.0), no other Spur is averaging more than 8.0 PPG for San Antonio in the first two games. Memphis: The Grizzlies must get a bounce-back effort from All-Star center Marc Gasol, who scored 32 points in Game 1 but then shot 4-of-15 in Game 2 for 12 points. PG Conley is averaging 18.5 & 7.5 APG but shooting on 40.6% and PF Randolph is the only other contributor, averaging modest totals of 12.0 & 6.5 while shooting poorly, as well (38.7%). The pick: Conley understood his coach's frustration but said the Spurs' long history of winning is a factor. "The Spurs are champions. They've won many times. They've done a lot of great things," Conley told reporters. "We haven't earned that yet. We have to get to that mountaintop, and we understand that. I understand that. That's why I'm not going to complain about it. I'm just going to keep my head down, keep focused, try to play through it the best I can and keep my teammates from letting it affect them mentally." I believe Conley's attitude, not that of his coach, is what the Grizzlies have to concentrate on. The Grizzlies are without defensive stalwart Tony Allen (calf) and have thrown a variety of defenders at Leonard with no success. I'm not sure Memphis can stop Leonard. However, Memphis can play significantly better on the offensive end and should remember that it was 2-0 at home against the Spurs in the regular season, winning by an average of 11.5 PPG. Make the Over a 10* play |
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04-19-17 | Wild v. Blues UNDER 5 | Top | 2-0 | Win | 100 | 15 h 36 m | Show |
The set-up: The Minnesota Wild were second in the league in scoring during the regular season (3.21 goals per game) but find themselves in an 0-3 'hole' in their opening round series with the St. Louis Blues, after scoring just three goals in three games! Minnesota has outshot St. Louis 117-79 in the first three games but has gone 1-for-10 on the power play and its top four goal scorers in the regular season have yet to tally in the series. Yes, the Blues have scored just seven goals (one an empty-netter) but Jake Allen has turned away 114 of the 117 shots he's faced! Minnesota: “We’re not playing bad,” defenseman Ryan Suter told reporters. “We just can’t score. If we can find a way to score a goal, it’s a different game.” Head coach Bruce Boudreau reportedly made changes to his forward lines at practice Tuesday, moving Eric Staal between Coyle and leading scorer Mikael Granlund while captain Mikko Koivu centered Nino Niederreiter and Zach Parise. However, the Wild are now tasked with winning four straight games against a St. Louis team which has won six consecutive games overall and is 18-2-2 in its last 22 contests. St. Louis: Jake Allen came into the series 3-5 all-time in the postseason but his brilliant postseason play is just a continuation of his play down the stretch of the regular season. He has now allowed fewer than three goals in 15 of his last 19 starts, after stopping 40 of 41 shots in Game 3's 3-1 victory. Jaden Schwartz has a goal in each of the last two games and a point in all three contests. Patrik Berglund has registered three assists along with a plus-3 rating and Alex Steen also has produced three points after netting an empty-net tally to clinch Game 3. Leading scorer Vladimir Tarasenko (two assists) has unleashed 12 shots in the series. The pick: No reason to over-think this one. Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk had an outstanding regular season (2.25 GAA & .923 SP) and has surrendered just six goals in the first three games. However, his counterpart Allen has just been better (see above!). Goals will be at a premium again, making the Under a 10* play. |
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04-19-17 | Thunder v. Rockets OVER 223 | Top | 111-115 | Win | 100 | 13 h 2 m | Show |
The set-up: The OKC/Houston series has been billed as the "Battle of Two MVP Candidates," the Thunder's Westbrook against the Rockets' Harden. Game 1 went to Harden (37-7-9) and the Rockets 118-87, as Westbrook scored 22 points on just 6-of-23 shooting and had more turnovers (nine) than assists (seven). However, the real surprise was Houston's domination of OKC's bigger frontcourt, as the Rockets outrebounderd the Thunder 56-41! That said, Houston head coach Mike D'Antoni cautioned reporters, "All we did is defend our home court, and that's what we're supposed to do. It's nice to play well and get the win because you have to, but this is just one little step ... in the big scheme of things. I'm sure they'll (Thunder) bounce back, and we've got to be ready to go." Oklahoma City: Along with Westbrook's off-shooting outing in Game 1, SG Victor Oladipo was an awful 1-of-12 from the floor, while the frontcourt trio of Steven Adams, Taj Gibson and Enes Kanter combined for just 19 points and were the prime reason why Oklahoma City was outrebounded 56-41. The Thunder pressed Houston shooters on the perimeter, limiting the Rockets into 10-of-33 shooting on three-pointers but the downside was that the strategy was parlayed into a layup line for Houston. Houston: It wasn't all Harden in Game 1, as his backcourt mate Patrick Beverley had 21 points and 10 rebounds plus challenged Westbrook defensively all game. Post players Nene (15 points on 7-of-8 shooting) and Clint Capela (14 points on 7-of-9) operated at will against the Thunder in Game 1. The pick: No way OKC's big men don't play better in Game 2, while Westbrook almost assuredly will bounce back. Also, is it possible for Oladipo (made 44.2% from the floor this season) to shoot worse? That said, the Rockets also figure to be much better from the three-point line, as well. Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-18-17 | Giants v. Royals UNDER 9 | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
The set-up: The San Francisco Giants are off to a slow start to the 2017 season (just 5-9), as they visit Kansas City to take on the 6-6 Royals in this two-game IL series. However, the Giants are getting some good news, as four-time All-Star catcher Buster Posey is expected to be activated from the DL on Tuesday. Posey was beaned by a fastball in a game against Arizona on April 10 and will likely serve as the team's DH as he eases his way back into action. "It gives him three more extra days (counting Thursday's off day)," manager Bruce Bochy told The San Jose Mercury News of Posey (team-leading .333 batting average). Kansas City has been streaky in the early going of 2017, and comes in on a four-game winning streak, following a three-game slide, which was the second such skid of the season for the Royals. This marks the Giants' first return to Kansas City since the 2014 World Series. The pitching matchup: Matt Cain (1-0 & 4.82 ERA) gets the nod tonight for San Francisco and Kansas City hands the ball to Jason Hammel (0-1 & 6.52 ERA). Cain had a shaky 2017 debut (allows six hits and four ERs over 4 1/3 innings against the Padres) but earned a 6-2 win against Arizona on Wednesday. He allowed just one run on five hits in as many innings. The Giants are hoping Cain can be the team's fifth-starter, coming off a two-year span in which his ERA is 5.77 and WHIP is 1.52. Cain is 1-0 with a 3.28 ERA in his lone start against the Royals. It's early but Jason Hammel has stumbled out of the box after signing a two-year, $16 million deal in offseason, a move designed to shore up KC's starting rotation after the death of Yordano Ventura. Hammel's allowed 13 hits and seven ERs over 9 2/3 innings, with a 6.52 ERA, 1.97 WHIP and .333 opponents BA! However, despite going winless in 11 career appearances against San Francisco (10 starts / teams are 4-6), he has pitched reasonably well against them with a 3.17 ERA. The pick: KC's starting pitchers have a 0.63 ERA, allowing two runs and 13 hits over 28 2/3 innings during the team's four-game winning streak and now it's Hammel's turn to start "pulling his own weight." He faces a San Francisco lineup which has been very mediocre, batting .237 (17th). As for that KC lineup, it ranks 29th in BA (.210) and runs scored (3.17 per). Make the Under a 10* play. |
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04-18-17 | Penguins v. Blue Jackets UNDER 5.5 | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 24 m | Show |
The set-up: The defending champs have played up to their pedigree, opening with home wins of 3-1 and 4-1, then overcoming a 3-1 deficit at Columbus for a 5-4 OT win in Game 3. 22-year-old rookie Jake Guentzel completed a hat trick at 13:10 of overtime to give the Penguins a 3-0 series lead. One more win and the Pittsburgh Penguins sweep their way into the second round and one more loss for the Columbus Blue Jackets and the best season in franchise history comes to an abrupt end. Pittsburgh: Guentzel recorded his second straight game-winning goal on Sunday's and has 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in his last 14 contests overall. He had 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 40 games with the club this season. Bryan Rust scored twice in Game 3 to give him seven goals in his past 11 playoff games. Fellow forward Evgeni Malkin recorded his 14th career three-point performance by scoring in his second straight game and adding two assists to increase his point total to six (two goals, four assists) in the series. Not to be outdone, captain Sidney Crosby has set up two goals in back-to-back contests after being held off the scoresheet in the series opener. Columbus: Zach Werenski, who was first in NHL scoring among rookie defensemen with 47 points (11 goals, 36 assists, saw his season came to a close after he sustained a ghastly facial fracture, taking a puck under his right eye on Sunday. His loss makes the Blue Jackets' uphill climb even steeper against the defending Stanley Cup champions. The pick: Columbus is facing a huge challenge but veteran forward Scott Hartnell reminded his teammates Monday that the deficit is not insurmountable, as he played a role in the Philadelphia Flyers' comeback from a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins to win a first-round series back in 2010. "We're still in this thing," Hartnell said. "We've still got another game to play. I don't think any of us envisioned this. I thought we deserved a better fate. We're playing good enough to win. There is a belief in (the locker room). There were good vibes that were positive. We'll still here and putting on our skates." I expect Columbus to come with its "A game" and that makes the Under a 10* play. |
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04-18-17 | Bucks v. Raptors OVER 193 | Top | 100-106 | Win | 100 | 11 h 54 m | Show |
The set-up: The Toronto Raptors reached the Eastern Conference finals last year but not before losing each one of the three Game 1s the team played during three separate series. Well, nothing has changed for the Raptors in the 2017 postseason, as they were held to 32 second-half points on Saturday by the Bucks, as Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in its opening round series against Toronto, 97-83. Milwaukee: Since losing in the Eastern Conference finals back in 200-01 season to the 76ers and Allen Iverson, the Bucks had made the playoffs just six times before this season, while losing each time in the first round. One game does not a series make but let's note that the Bucks sure didn't look like a team that had lost 13 of its past 15 regular-season games to the Raptors when it rode the coattails of All-Star small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's 28-point effort to a 14-point victory. The "Greek Freak" averaged 22.9-8.8-5.4 on the season and noted, "It's big for us, but now we have to focus on Game 2," he told reporters. "We know they're going to be more desperate." Antetokounmpo wasn't alone on Saturday, as rookie PG Malcolm Brogdon contributed 16 points, center Greg Monroe contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds off the bench plus while SG Middleton made just 4 of 15 FG attempts for 10 points, he handed out nine assists. Toronto: The Raptors were outscored 51-32 in the second half with All-Star PG Kyle Lowry scoring only two points in the second half and four points for the game on 2-for-11 shooting (0 of 6 on threes). DeRozan, who averaged 27.3 PPG on 46.7% shooting this season, made only 7 of 21 shots, as 13 of his 27 points came from the FT line. "It sounds like a yearly song we sing but we're going to go as (Lowry) and DeMar (DeRozan) go and he's got to be aggressive no matter what the defense is doing," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. Serge Ibaka was the best Raptor on the court, scoring 19 points adding 14 rebounds but was the only starter to make a three-pointer in the game (Toronto was 5-of-23 from long range). The pick: Toronto's been in this position before, as the Raptors are now 0-9 in opening games of first-round playoff series and just 1-11 in Game 1s, overall. Quite frankly, how pathetic is that? However, Toronto did average 106.9 PPG (10th) on the season and even if we include Saturday's awful 83-point effort, the Raptors have averaged 110.2 PPG at Air Canada Centre this season. Maybe Toronto loses again but it will go down 'swinging.' Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-17-17 | Ducks v. Flames OVER 5 | Top | 5-4 | Win | 100 | 22 h 42 m | Show |
The set-up: The Ducks extended their home dominance over the Flames in taking a 2-0 lead in this opening round series, although both wins came by 3-2 finals. Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf has collected a goal and an assist in both contests so far and the Ducks have hardly been dominant. "Lucky" is how Getzlaf described his pinball, go-ahead goal that caromed off the right skate of Flames forward Lance Bouma and into the net with 3:46 left in regulation of Saturday's 3-2 win. Still, the two one-goal victories give Anaheim a 13-0-3 run over its last 16 games. Calgary now finds itself in the ominous position of trailing after two games in a best-of-seven series. "It was just a (bad) bounce. That's the way it happens sometimes," Flames forward Kris Versteeg told the Orange County Register. "I don’t really believe in curses. It was just for whatever reason a bad-luck bounce. You can't blame anyone on that. It’s just something that happens." Anaheim: Right winger Patrick Eaves drew an assist on Getzlaf's game winner and admitted the Ducks got a fortunate bounce to win Saturday's game. "We'll take it and run," Eaves told CBC during a post-game interview. "You always want to win your games at home, but we know we have a big test ahead of us. They play really well in their building also. We'll be ready." The trio of Getzlaf, Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg have each scored once in the opener and then duplicated that feat in Game 2. "I'm sure that they're happy that they're scoring and we're real happy they're scoring, but there's other guys that are going to score in this series, for sure," said Anaheim head coach Randy Carlyle. Anaheim goalie John Gibson has a .952 save percentage in his last 10 games overall and has turned aside 65 of 69 shots in this series. Calgary: Mikael Backlund followed up his career-high goal total (22) this season by scoring a short-handed goal in Game 2. Fellow forward Sean Monahan (team-leading 27 goals) has scored in back-to-back contests after being held off the scoresheet in each of the previous four and linemate Johnny Gaudreau (team-leading 43 assists and 61 points) notched an assist after a four-game point drought. The pick: A change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered for Calgary, which is leaving its house of horrors at the Honda Center in favor of Scotiabank Saddledome. "Obviously it's going to be fun to play at home," defenseman Dougie Hamilton said. "We can't quit. We haven't quit all season. We’re going to come out hard at home and turn the series around." The Flames averaged 3.15 GPG at home this season and the play here is Over (10*s). |
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04-17-17 | Pacers v. Cavs OVER 210 | Top | 111-117 | Win | 100 | 19 h 41 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cleveland Cavaliers are up 1-0 in their series with the Pacers (East's No. 7 seed with a 42-40 record, including 13-28 on the road, the worst of any of this year's playoff qualifiers). However, the Cavs, just 10-14 since March 1, needed to withstand a late comeback by Indiana to earn a one-point win (109-108). Cleveland let a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter slip away and was a missed shot at the buzzer away from losing Game 1. However, All-Star PG Kyrie Irving does not feel the team is vulnerable. "Feel vulnerable? Hell no," Irving told reporters. "Not going into any game with the group that we have. I understand there's some mistakes that happen throughout the game, and the regular season didn't end the way we wanted it to, but like I said, it's just a step in the right direction. Game 1, just taking care of home floor and have to come out for Game 2 with an even higher focus and even better level of intensity, limit our mistakes, and we will be good." That's brave talk from a player who went 1-of-9 from three-point range in Game 1! Indiana: C.J. Miles missed a mid-range jumper at the buzzer in Saturday's loss but Indiana just confirmed its belief that it could hang with the defending champions. "We knew we could go toe-to-toe with them," Pacers All-Star forward Paul George told the media. "We challenged them the last time we were here. We knew we had a chance coming in to win a game here. It sucks that we're down 0-1, but it's encouraging." George (23.7 & 6.6) has led the Pacers all season and did so again in Game 1, scoring 29 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Stephenson signed as a free agent deal in late in March with Indiana and has been a solid reserve. However, he played all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter and scored eight of his 16 points in that final period. He shot 8-of-13 in Game 1, his highest output since making his team debut on Apr. 2. Cleveland: LBJ let everyone know he's read for another run at the Finals (and another title?) on Saturday. He scored 32 points and handed out 13 assists in 43 minutes (also had six rebounds). However, Kyrie shot poorly (11 of 27 overall) and Kevin Love scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half and finished with just four rebounds. Also, Cleveland shot just 14 of 27 from the foul line and Kyle Korver, the league's top three-point shooter this season, made the only shot he took on Saturday and it wasn't even a three-pointer. The pick: I noted the following in playing the Over in Game 1..."The Cavs have work to do on defense, ranking 20th in scoring defense overall and just 29th since the All-Star break!" The Pacers scored 108 points on the Cavs in Game 1, making 49.4 percent, including 11 of 24 on threes. Meanwhile, the Cavs scored 109 points, despite making only 14 of 27 FTs. Second verse, same as the first, Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-16-17 | Penguins v. Blue Jackets OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-4 | Win | 132 | 20 h 29 m | Show |
The Pittsburgh Penguins (defending champs) have opened a 2-0 series lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets, winning Games 1 and 2 in Pittsburgh, 3-1 and 4-1. The Penguins ranked first in goal scored (3.39) during the regular season, while Columbus wasn't too far behind at 2.96 GPG, to rank 6th. However, Columbus has scored just one goal in each of the first two games, with Pittsburgh's Fluery turning away 70 of 72 shots. Pittsburgh: The "HBK Line" was all the rage last spring as Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel catapulted Pittsburgh on its way to its fourth Stanley Cup title in franchise history. This time, it's the tentatively titled line of "Sid and the Kids" consisting of Crosby, rookie Jake Guentzel and second-year forward Conor Sheary that has captured the hearts of the Steel City following a six-point performance (two goals, four assists) and 10 shots on goal Friday. Crosby has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in his last 17 games overall. He's the 57th player in NHL history to reach 50 postseason goals and has 140 points in 126 playoff contests. Columbus: The Blue Jackets have not had much luck denting Fluery plus Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has seen his late-season swoon continue. He's now 0-5-0 with an .879 save percentage in April. It's a "must win" for Columbus in Game 3. The Blue Jackets beat the Penguins there twice here in Nationwide Arena during the regular season but they don't look like the the same team that won 16 consecutive games from Nov. 29th through Jan. 3rd, on the way to the fourth-best record in the NHL during the regular season. The pick: However, there seems to be no panic in the Blue Jackets. Captain Nick Foligno said, "I can say it was probably the weirdest ride home, only that we're down 2-0 and obviously not really enjoying the situation we're in, but the optimism in our room is incredible and how we feel about our game," talking to NHL.com. "That's a great team over there and I'm not discrediting what they're doing, but there's so much good we're doing that it's going to break for us eventually." Hard to argue with that. The Blue Jackets have attacked the Penguins in the offensive zone and often controlled play but their shots have just simply not found the back of the net. I expect that to change here on home ice but keeping Crosby and Co. off the scoreboard is another thing. Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-15-17 | Rays v. Red Sox UNDER 8.5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 8 h 59 m | Show |
The set-up: The Red Sox opened the 2017 season with consecutive wins over the Prates, before the third game of that series was rained out. However, after last night's 10-5 home loss to the Rays, Boston is just 5-5 to start the season. Tampa Bay's win snapped a three-game slide and the Rays get set for the second of this three-game series at 6-5. The pitching matchup: Jake Odorizzi (1-1 & 4.50 ERA) will take the hill for Tampa Bay and Chris Sale (0-1 & 1.23 ERA), who is still looking for his first win with Boston, takes the mound for the Red Sox. Odorizzi limited the Toronto Blue Jays to two runs on two hits in six innings to pick up his first win of 2017 last Sunday. However, it's not good news that seven of the nine hits he has allowed so far in 2017 have gone for extra bases, including three HR. Odorizzi has faced Boston 13 times, going 3-3 with a 4.13 ERA (teams are 8-5). Sale has yielded eight hits in 14 2/3 innings while recording 17 strikeouts through the first two starts, along with a 1.23 ERA and 0.68 WHIP (.157 BAA). However, the Red Sox didn't score until the 12th inning in his team debut and were limited to just one run in his second appearance last Monday at Detroit. Sale was 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA -- 16 strikeouts and no walks -- in two starts against the Rays for the White Sox last season, including a two-hit shutout April 15. Lifetime, he is 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 55 innings against Tampa Bay. The pick: Boston is just not giving Sale any support and I wouldn't want to bet on it happening here, even though Odorizzi is hardly a "shut-down" pitcher. Meanwhile, Sale is an impressive 48-19 with a 2.70 ERA in his career before the All-Star break and owns a 2.76 mark all-time at Fenway. The Under is a 10* play. |
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04-15-17 | Pacers v. Cavs OVER 211 | Top | 108-109 | Win | 100 | 24 h 11 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cavs have sure not looked like defending champs since the All Star break and in particular, since the beginning of March. Cleveland ended the season on a four-game slide and will enter the postseason with a 10-14 record since March 1. However, few doubt that the remain the favorites (prohibitive?) to come out of the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers will begin their title defense by hosting the seventh-seeded Indiana is in Game 1 of the first round on Saturday. The Pacers went over two months without securing back-to-back wins but with "their backs to the wall" (maybe too many backs in ths sentence), Indiana responded by closing the season on a five-game winning streak which clinched a playoff spot but not until the final day of the regular season. Indiana: It was no surprise that All-Star small forward Paul Goerge (23.7 & 6.6) led the charge over the last five games, averaging 30.8 points on 56.9 percent shooting while recording three double-doubles in that span. "I guess it's because we're doing everything right," George said of the five-game winning streak. "When our back is against the wall, we figure things out. It just showed the character of this team, that we knew all along that we should have been a playoff team, we just hadn't figured out how to play the game thed times when they rested right way. I think we did that at the right time." That streak began after a 135-130 double-overtime loss at Cleveland in which George scored 19 of his 43 points in the overtime periods. Maybe the most surprising aspect of the last two weeks for Indiana is that the return of swingman Lance Stephenson has actually been a positive. Stephenson has played about 22 minutes in his six games (team is 5-1 with only that 2-OT loss to the Cavs), averaging 7.2-4.0-4.2.Cleveland: There is no doubt part of Cleveland's slump was due to the team resting players with nagging injuries. Injuries to J.R. Smith, Kevin Love, and Kyle Korver were significant plus LBJ and Kyrie had time in which they were "rested." Still, it's been more than just a six-week slump for the Cavs, as they check in at only 23-23 over their last 46 games. That said, the good new is, the Cavs are heading into the postseason pretty much fully healthy. The pick: LBJ is looking to advance to the NBA Finals for the seventh straight season, which is quite a run. However, first things first. Every postseason begins with a first-round series and LBJ's teams have never lost a first-round series. In fact, they won the last 17 games in the opening round. Meanwhile, the Pacers come to Cleveland for the first two games of this series with the worst road record of any of this year's playoffs teams, at 13-28. However, the Cavs have work to do on defense, ranking 20th in scoring defense overall and just 29th since the All-Star break! Make the Over a 10* play. |
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04-14-17 | Blues v. Wild UNDER 5 | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 13 h 39 m | Show |
The set-up: The Minnesota Wild fell into a funk for much of March but a 5-1 home win over Ottawa on March 30 did spark a finish in which the Wild won five of their final six games. Despite the Blues' 15-2-2 run to end the season, the Wild still finished seven points better than the Blues, which gave them the home ice edge in the teams' opening round series. However, even though the Wild outshot the Blues 52-26 in the opener, the Blues' Jake Allen made 51 saves (.981 SP) and when defenseman Joel Edmundson scored 17:48 into overtime, St. Louis had a 2-1 Game 1 victory. The Wild may have gone 27-12-2 at home during the regular season but they are now 13-17 all-time at Xcel Energy Center in the playoffs, including a 4-5 mark in overtime games. Game 2 looms large for Minnesota, tonight. St. Louis: Jake Allen's Wednesday effort was superb but it was not unexpected. He has rebounded from a rough stretch in the middle of the season to limited opponents to two or fewer goals in 13 of his last 17 contests! Allen was especially strong in the second and third periods of Game 1, when he stopped all 34 shots he faced as his teammates managed to get just 12 on Minnesota counterpart Devan Dubnyk. St. Louis Blues head coach Mike Yeo joked that goalie Jake Allen might get the start for his team in Game 2 of Friday's first-round playoff series at the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota: The Wild's Devan Dubnyk is coming off an excellent regular season, one in which he went 40-19-5 with a 2.25 GAA and .923 save percentage. He was solid in net in Game 1, stopping 24 of 26 shots (.923 SP), but his teammates just couldn't dent Allen. In fact, Minnesota's only goal of the game came with only 22.7 seconds left in regulation, when Zach Parise notched his 31st goal in 90 career playoff games. The set-up: The Blues used their size to keep many close-in pucks away from Allen and swat rebounds away. These teams also met back on March 7 here in Minnesota and the Blues also won that game, 2-1, using pretty much the same tactics (Allen saved 32 of 33 shots in that one). Deja vu? The Under is a 10* play. |
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04-14-17 | Tigers v. Indians UNDER 8.5 | Top | 7-6 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 45 m | Show |
The set-up: The defending AL Champs have lost five of their last six outings. The Indians three-game sweep of the Rangers in the season's first week seems like a long time ago, as the Indians get set to host the 6-3 Detroit Tigers in a three-game series which opens tonight. The Indians gave up five runs in the first inning of Thursday's 10-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox and have now allowed at least five runs in five of their first nine contests. The Tigers lost 11-5 in Thursday's series finale against Minnesota but had won five of their previous six games. “I know it’s a sour note to end the homestand on a loss,” Detroit manager Brad Ausmus told reporters, “but if we’re going to win series, we’ll be in great shape. I’ll take series wins the rest of the way. If that happens, we’ll be in the playoffs.” The Tigers are playing better than the Indians at the moment but are well aware that they lost 14 of 18 games against the Indians last season, getting outscored 106-71. The pitching matchup: Lefty Daniel Norris (0-0 & 4.26 ERA) takes the mound for Detroit, up against Cleveland righty Trevor Bauer (0-1 & 6.35 ERA). Norris failed to earn a decision in his season debut, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings in a 7-5 loss to Boston last Sunday. Norris made 14 appearances (13 stgarst) for the Tigers in 2016, going 4-2 with a 3.38 ERA (team was 8-5 in hsi 13 starts). Norris has made three career starts against Cleveland, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA (teams are 2-1). Bauer pitched four scoreless innings in his first start of the season against Arizona last Saturday, but left the game after 5 2/3 innings having given up four runs on seven hits and three walks to take the 11-2 loss. He won a career-high 12 games last season (12-8 & 4.26 ERA) and did strike out seven without allowing a walk against the D'backs. He's made nine career starts against Detroit, going 3-3 with a 6.99 ERA (Indians are 3-6). The pick: Norris has had success in limited action against the Indians but also note that he finished last season well, going 3-0 over his final seven starts (Tigers were 6-1). He also pitched well on the road in 2016, going 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA in six starts (team was 4-2). When healthy, Bauer is a solid pitcher and I look for good efforts from both of these starting pitchers. The Under is an 8* play. |
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04-12-17 | Lakers v. Warriors UNDER 221 | Top | 94-109 | Win | 100 | 13 h 38 m | Show |
The set-up: The 26-55 LA Lakers have all of a sudden stopped 'tanking' and head into Oakland on a five-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the 66-15 Golden State Warrioes own the NBA's best record, although their 14-game winning streak was snapped in their last outing, a 105-99 home loss to teh Utah Jazz. LA Lakers: First-year head coach Luke Walton said he was feeling encouraged after LA's 108-96 Tuesday win over the Pelicans in the team's home final. "It has been an amazing year so far," Walton told reporters after Tuesday's win. "There have been a lot of ups and downs. It's been a great year with these guys."That may not be all that much of an exaggeration, as the Lakers did win only games last season. The Lakers own their longest winning streak since notching five straight triumphs to end the 2012-13 season and the team's late-season surge ended its chances of securing the second-worst overall record. Phoenix will instead will claim that 'honor,' while Los Angeles will finish with the league's third-worst record. The Lakers likely will be without guard D'Angelo Russell for the second straight game as he left the team for Louisville, Ky., after the death of his grandmother. Golden State: The Warriors figure to limit the minutes of their starters in this contest. Golden State Kevin Durant (knee) to further his comfort level with his teammates after recently returning from a knee injury, and he produced 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in each of his wants first two games back. "Overall, I felt good on the defensive end, got a few dunks," Durant told reporters after the contest against Utah. "I guess that's the last piece of the puzzle." Durant was sidelined for 19 contests and the loss to Utah marked the first time he and PG Stephen Curry had played together since Feb. 28. The pick: Don't expect much from the Warriors in this one and make the Under an 8* play. |
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04-12-17 | Sharks v. Oilers OVER 5 | Top | 3-2 | Push | 0 | 45 h 42 m | Show |
analysis by 12 pm et |
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04-12-17 | 76ers v. Knicks OVER 202 | Top | 113-114 | Win | 100 | 13 h 31 m | Show |
The set-up: The 28-53 Philadelphia 76ers are headed to the lottery for the fifth straight season and will end their season tonight in Madison Square Garden against the 30-51 NY Knicks. The Knicks will be wrapping up their fourth consecutive non-playoff season. Philadelphia: Ben Simmons, the 2016 drfat's overall No. 1 pick never played a game this season but at times, the Sixers looked like a team on the rise with promising rookies Joel Embiid (20.2 &7.8 in 31 games) and Dario Saric (12.8 & 6.3) flashing signs of stardom. "You feel the fans, you want to acknowledge them," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters after the home finale on Monday. "We believe that there were things that went on this year that I hope they too are excited about." Philadelphia continued to get promising performances from its young players even after Embiid (knee) was shut down for the season and Saric (heel) was put on a minutes restriction. Power forward Richaun Holmes and shooting guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot emerged over the last few weeks, and Brown was happy to give the pair the experience. NY Knicks: The Knicls will likely hold stars Carmelo Anthony (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (back) on the bench for the finale. Antnony averages and Porzingis. New York's offseason promises to be dominated by the same discussion that surrounded the team for most of the 2016-17 campaign: whether or not to trade Anthony. "I think it's all his choice still, isn't it, with his contract? We'll go into the summer -- I think every year until guys are gone, coaches, we all assume we have the same team," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters in regard to Anthony's status. "That's how you prepare. When something changes you deal with it." The pick: Philadelphia took two of the first three meetings this season, with the lone loss coming in New York 110-109 on Feb. 25. This total is way too low, as Philly road games have averaged 212 PPG this season and New York home games, 210. Make the Over an 8* play. |
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04-11-17 | White Sox v. Indians UNDER 8.5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 15 h 46 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cleveland Indians opened the season with an impressive three-game sweep at Texas, one which included two late-inning comebacks. However, they then moved on to Arizona and the pitching staff was ripped for 21 runs, as the Indians lost all three games. Cleveland will play in front of its fans late this afternoon for the first time since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, hoping for a better result. The Indians host the rival Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in the first of a three-game series. Chicago is batting only .238 as a team and fought through some tough weather conditions against Detroit (rained out twice at home vs. the Tigers), to open 2-3 despite playing all games so far at home. The pitching matchup:James Shields (1-0 & 1.69 ERA) takes the mound for Chicago and Carlos Carrasco (1-0 & 3.18 ERA) for Cleveland, with both pitchers coming off wins in their 2017 debuts. Shields split last season between San Diego and Chicago, going 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA. The two teams were 9-24 in his 33 starts and his moneyline mark of minus-$1403 was better than only Ervin Santana (minus-$1450) and Chris Archer (minus-$1553). So much for the moniker, "Big Game James!" His WHIP was 1.60 and he struck out 81 fewer hitters than the previous season in the same number of starts (33). However, he allowed just one run and two hits over 5 1/3 innings to beat Detroit 11-2 last Thursday. Shields is 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 18 career starts against Cleveland (teams are 9-9). Carrasco missed the 2016 postseason when he was hit by a line drive that broke his right hand on Sept. 17 and while he was bothered by elbow swelling in spring training. He's been a solid pitcher for the Indians these last two seasons with 55 starts (Cleveland is 33-22) and 366 strikeouts in 330 innings. Carrasco shook off those elbow issues in the spring to win his season debut, allowing two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over 5 2/3 innings last Tuesday in Texas (Indians won 4-3). He needs one victory to even his career record at 46-46 and hopes to improve at home after allowing 13 HRs and posting a 4.29 ERA at Progressive Field in 2016. However, Carrasco went 0-1 with a 5.09 ERA in three starts against the White Sox last year and is 3-9 with a 5.73 ERA in 16 career starts against Chicago (teams are 5-110. The pick: For all of Shields' woes last year, let's note that he had won double-digit games every season since 2007 before last year's implosion. In fact, entering ther 2017 season, Shields led all major-league pitchers with 330 starts and 2,169 innings pitched since 2007. He was also fourth in that span with 208 quality starts and sixth with 1,873 strikeouts. He pitched well in his 2017 debut and expect another solid outing here. As for Carrasco, he will be on the mound at Progressive Field for the first time since Sep. 17 of last year, which became the last start of his season. His lifetime mark against Chicago is poor but the White Sox aren't hitting so far in 2017, batting only .238 to open the season. This is Chicago's first road game. The Under is an 8* play. |
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04-10-17 | Nets v. Celtics OVER 223 | Top | 105-114 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 45 m | Show |
The set-up: The 51-29 Boston Celtics are tied with the Cavs for the East's best record (with two games left for both teams) but Cleveland does own the tiebreaker. Isaiah Thomas scored 32 points as Boston lost a 19-point lead in the second half but held on to beat Charlotte 121-114 on Saturday, ending a two-game slide. Meanwhile, the Cavs lost 126-125 yesterday. Boston welcomes the 20-60 Brooklyn Nets to the TD Garden and while the Nets have clinched the worst record in the NBA, they have won four of their last five and are 11-11 since March 1, after going 9-49 (.155) through the end of February. Brooklyn: The Nets' .500 run since Mar. 1 has given the players some confidence it can close out teams. Spencer Dinwiddie and rookie Caris LeVert scored 19 points apiece in Brooklyn's home finale Saturday nigh (a 107-106 win over the Bulls) plus Rondae-Hollis Jefferson finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. That said, it's been the return PG Lin from his hamstring problems (14.2 & 5.1 APG) which has sparked the Nets' recent respectable play, along with the season-long solid play from center Lopez (20.5 & 5.3) Lin is averaging 18.8 points while shooting 11-for-19 from three-point range over the last four games. Boston: Head coach Brad Stevens gathered his players during a timeout when they were down seven midway through the fourth quarter, after Boston had blown a 19-point lead. He told them they can expect this kind of adversity in the postseason. "At this point in the season, it's just about figuring out ways to win," Isaiah Thomas said after the game. "When (he) said that, it was real though. The playoffs are going to be different types of games where you just got to figure out a way to win. The Celtics bounced back from losses to the Cavs and Hawks with a win at Charlotte on Saturday night and now still have a chance at the East's No. 1 seed. The pick: With three days (two games) remaining in the regular season, Boston's best (only?) chance to win the East would be wins over the Nets and Bucks at home, while the Cavs lose tonight in Miami. The Cavs finish with the Raptors at home on Wednesday and Toronto would have little motivation to win Wednesday's finale if it meant a possible second-round matchup with the Cavaliers. A real problem for Boston is the Celtics have given up at least 114 points in three straight games and in four of its last five. Defense remains a concern with the playoffs on the horizon but note that Brooklyn allows 112.5 PPG, ranking 29th of 30 teams. The over is a 10* play. |
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04-09-17 | Pistons v. Grizzlies UNDER 196 | Top | 103-90 | Win | 100 | 10 h 40 m | Show |
The set-up: The 36-43 Detroit Pistons were officially eliminated from playoff contention Saturday but they are coming off a 114-109 win Friday at Houston. They will be in Memphis tonight, where the 43-37 Grizzlies continue the process of preparing for their first-round playoff matchup. Memphis got locked into the No. 7 seed in the West on Friday, which means the Grizzlies will be playing the San Antonio Spurs in the first round (good luck!). Detroit:: The Pistons have ruled out PG Reggie Jackson out for the remainder of the season and there are other indications the page is already turning to next season. Rookie forward Henry Ellenson was given his first career start Friday at Houston and responded with 15 points and 11 rebounds, easily the best numbers in his 16-game career. Second-year center Boban Marjanovic was given a season-high 28 minutes and broke out for a career-high 27 points to go along with 12 rebounds in the win. Memphis: The Grizzlies have announced that sixth man Zach Randolph will sit this one out and other key figures will probably get some rest as the team plays out a four-game homestand to finish the regular season. Wayne Selden chipped in a career-high 13 points to help Memphis get past New York on Friday and he has played at least 23 minutes in all four games this month as he works his way into the rotation. The pick: The Pistons were officially eliminated from playoff contention yesterday and at 33-33 less than a month ago, the team's 3-10 slide leaves everyone in the organization unhappy. Who knows who will play or how long they will play in this one for Memphis. Make the Under an 8* play. |
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04-09-17 | Devils v. Red Wings OVER 5 | Top | 1-4 | Push | 0 | 9 h 31 m | Show |
The set-up: The 28-39-14 New Jersey Devils and the 32-36-13 Detroit Red Wings cap disappointing seasons late this afternoon in the final game for the Red Wings in Joe Louis Arena. New Jersey looks to avoid ending the season with a three-game losing streak after dropping a 4-2 decision to the New York Islanders on Saturday in its home finale. The Devils will finish last in the Eastern Conference, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. The Red Wings have lost five of their last six contests, after dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to visiting Montreal on Saturday, and have had their 25-year playoff streak snapped in the 2016-17 season. New Jersey: While the Devils might seem like an odd choice to close out the Detroit rink, there is some history between the teams. The Devils swept the Wings in the 1995 Stanley Cup final, Detroit's first appearance in the Cup final since 1966. Also, when Joe Louis Arena opened in 1979, the Devils -- in their previous life as the Colorado Rockies -- were the second visiting team to win a game in the arena when they toppled the Wings 5-3 on Dec. 31, 1979, with Don Cherry behind the bench and goalie Hardy Astrom earning the win. Detroit: Henrik Zetterberg figures to have mixed emotions Sunday as he skates in his 1,000th career game when the Detroit Red Wings and will say farewell to Joe Louis Arena. The captain leads Detroit in scoring with 66 points and will become the 12th Swedish player to reach the 1,000 career game milestone in the NHL. The team will honor Zetterberg's achievement during a pregame ceremony that undoubtedly will also pay homage to Joe Louis Arena The pick: The Red Wings won four Stanley Cups while calling "The Joe" home. Nothing at stake in this one and with New Jersey allowing 2.93 GPG (25th) and Detroit allowing 3.00 GPG (26th), the Over is a 10* play. |
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04-09-17 | Nationals v. Phillies OVER 7.5 | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -110 | 5 h 18 m | Show |
The set-up: The Phillies scored 12 first-inning runs in Saturday's home contest against the Nationals and cruised to a 17-3 victory. Philadelphia hosts Washington in the rubber game of this series (Nats won 7-6 Friday night), looking to even their record at 3-3 (a Nats loss and 3-2 Washington would fall to .500). The pitching matchup: Stephen Strasburg (1-0, 2.57 ERA) takes the mound for Washington and Jeremy Hellickson (1-0, 1.80 ERA) does so for Philadelphia. Strasburg has said his new mindset in now focused on inducing groundballs instead of always going for the strikeout. He held Miami to two runs over seven innings in Monday's 4-2 win (had a modest three Ks) and has enjoyed success against Philadelphia in his career, going 8-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 17 starts (Nats are 13-4). Hellickson limited Cincinnati to one run in five innings on Monday, generating eight groundouts compared to one strikeout. However, in 2016, his first season with the Phillies, Hellickson made four starts against the Nationals and went 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA. He's 1-3 with a 5.67 ERA in six career starts against the Nats (teams are just 1-5). The pick: It was the Phillie bats which exploded on Saturday but with Hellickson's poor career numbers vs. the Nats, expect it to be Washington's turn to 'light up' the scoreboard on Sunday. Make the Over an 8* play. |
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04-08-17 | Heat v. Wizards UNDER 215 | Top | 106-103 | Win | 100 | 11 h 59 m | Show |
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04-08-17 | Blues v. Hurricanes UNDER 5 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 58 m | Show |
The 44-29-7 St. Louis Blues are headed to the playoffs playing their best hockey of the season.The Blues are 8-1-2 in their last 11 after a 6-3 win at Florida on Thursday and need just one point in their final two games to hold off Nashville for a chance to take on Minnesota in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes climbed into a contending spot for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference but then dropped their first four games of April and at 35-31-14 (84 points), will sit the playoffs out. St. Louis: This marks the Blues' final road game of the regular season and a victory, or extending the game to overtime, would clinch that third-place divisional spot for St. Louis without going into the final day of the season with that uncertainty. "Obviously, we're looking at other scores, but we're also expecting ourselves to take care of our games," LW David Perron said. "I think it's huge in the playoffs. It would be huge to secure third place." Carolina: The Hurricanes exited March on a 13-game point streak (9-0-4) but have scored just five goals in April (have been shut out twice!), going 0-4-0! Head coach Bill Peters was pretty straightforward about how he didn't want to witness a repeat of how the team played in Thursday's 3-0 home loss to the Islanders. "I would suggest you go back to work and find the identity and share the workload to finish this off properly," Peters said. The pick: Most of the key offensive players for Carolina have gone cold down the stretch. Meanwhile, St. Louis is 13-2-2 across a period of a little more than a month. Make the Under an 8* play. |
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04-08-17 | Twins v. White Sox OVER 8.5 | Top | 2-6 | Loss | -115 | 6 h 5 m | Show |
The set-up: Break up the Twins! Minnesota won 3-1 last night in Chicago and is off to a 4-0 start to the 2017 season. The Twins were expected by most to be among the American League's worst teams but so far, so good. The White Sox fought the Tigers and bad weather in Detroit to open the season (played two of the three-game series going 1-1) and after last night's loss, come into this game 1-2.The pitching matchup: Adalberto Mejia (0-0 & 7.71 ERA in 2016) will face off against Miguel Gonzalez (5-8 & 3.73 ERA in 2016). Mejia will be making his second career appearance and first career start, while Gonzalez makes his 2017 season debut. Mejia gave up two runs in 2 1/3 innings in a relief appearance against Kansas City last summer after coming over in a trade from San Francisco. However, he sported a 1.88 ERA in 14 innings this spring to earn a temporary spot in the rotation. Mejia, whose recent history includes weight issues and a PED suspension, likely will end up in the bullpen for the Twins once the team is fully healthy. Gonzalez, a former Oriole, posted the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career (2.71-to-1) last season while making 23 starts and one relief appearance for the White Sox. He has four career starts against Minnesota, going 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA (teams are 2-2).
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04-07-17 | Thunder v. Suns OVER 227.5 | Top | 99-120 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 47 m | Show |
Oklahoma City: Westbrook's triple-double saga has overshadowed anything else that happens with the Thunder this season. He had a streak of seven consecutive triple-doubles snapped when a final-minute rebound bounced off his hands and was collected by Memphis guard Andrew Harrison, in OKC's 103-100 Wednesday win at Memphis. Westbrook had 45 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds against Memphis and will look to post a record-breaking 42nd triple-double on Friday. He is tied with Oscar Robertson (1961-62), as he fell one rebound shy of breaking the mark during Wednesday's win Phoenix: The Suns' current 13-game losing streak ties a franchise record (has happened twice previously). Devin Booker remains the bright spot, having topped 20 points in seven consecutive games, which includes his career-high 70-point outing against the Boston Celtics on March 24. Booker is averaging 33.3 points during the stretch. Rookie PG Tyler Ulis had a season-best 34 points Sunday against Houston, part of a six-game run of double-figure scoring during which he has averaged 18.7 points. He currently ranks first among rookies in assists (7.2) and seventh in scoring (12.4) since the All-Star break. PF Alan Williams s another young player making a splash despite the Suns' woes, scoring 16 points and adding a career-high 17 rebounds in Wednesday's loss against Golden State, for his 14th double-double of the campaign. The pick: Westbrook is averaging 41.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 13.7 assists against the Suns this season, including outputs of 51 and 48 points and a career-best 22-assist effort. This is no more than an 'exhibition' and the Over is a 10* play. |
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04-07-17 | Red Sox v. Tigers UNDER 8 | Top | 5-6 | Loss | -100 | 5 h 58 m | Show |
The set-up: The Tigers were rained out twice this week at Chicago but the teams did manage to play two of the three games of the series (Tigers won 6-3 Tuesday but lost 11-2 on Thursday). The Red Sox opened their season with 5-3 and 3-0 (12 inn.) wins over the Pirates in Fenway but then got rained out yesterday, when the were trying to complete a three-game sweep. The postponement prompted a rotation reset. Eduardo Rodriguez, who was scheduled to start against the Pirates, will go Saturday in Detroit, keeping knuckleballer Steven Wright in line to make his season debut Friday. Boston also placed both shortstop Xander Bogaerts and reliever Matt Barnes on the bereavement list and put reliever Robbie Ross Jr. on the disabled list with a flu bug that kept right fielder Mookie Betts out of the lineup in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Pittsburgh. The pitching matchup: Steven Wright (13-6 & 3.33 ERA in 2016) squares off against vs. Michael Fulmer (11-7 & 3.06 ERA). The Red Sox went 15-9 (plus-$339) in Wright's 24 starts last year. Wright is 0-1 with a 10.00 ERA in two starts against Detroit (team is 0-2). His worst start of the year came at home against Detroit on July 26, when he gave up eight runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.Fulmer won the AL's rookie-of-the-year in 2016, as the Tigers were 19-7 in his 26 starts and his plus-$1292 moneyline mark ranked 6th-best among all MLB starters. He allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings at Boston on July 27 before tying season highs by giving up six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings in a rematch at Comerica Park nearly a month later (0-1, 6.07 ERA and team was 1-1). The pick: Both of these guys have some ugly numbers (Wright vs. Detroit and Fulmer vs. Boston) but both are small sample sizes. Overall, Wright boasted a sparkling 2.09 ERA away from home in 2016 and allowed just one run in 13 1/3 innings during Grapefruit League play. Fulmer started slow start in 2016 (6.52 ERA through the first four) but over his his last 22, had a 2.58 ERA! The Under is an 8* play. |
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04-06-17 | Nets v. Magic UNDER 226.5 | Top | 107-115 | Win | 100 | 12 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: The 19-59 Brooklyn Nets and the 27-51 Orlando Magic meet tonight in Orlando. The Nets take a season-long three-game winning streak into tonight's game and while they still own the NBA's worst record, they are finishing the season well. Meanwhile, the Magic have lost five in a row, while allowing 121.0 PPG in their skid
Brooklyn: The Nets are coming off a 141-118 rout of the 76ers in Philly (Tuesday) and are now 6-3 over the past nine games with center Brook Lopez (20.7 & 5.4) and PG Jeremy Lin (13.7 & 5.2 APG) leading the way. Lin is now fully recovered from a hamstring injury and is averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the team's three-game winning streak, while Lopez in averaging 25.0 points in that span. Orlando: The Magic are not picking up the wins like the Nets but they are experiencing some encouraging signs. PG Elfrid Payton has recorded five triple-doubles since March 1 and is averaging 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game since the All-Star break. Aaron Gordon moved to power forward when Serge Ibaka was traded to the Toronto Raptors and is averaging 19 points and 8.6 rebounds over the past five games. He had back-to-back double-doubles last weekend - 32 points and matching his career high of 16 rebounds against Boston on Friday and 22 points and 15 boards against the Nets on Saturday. Gordon has scored in double digits in 17 of the past 19 games. The pick: Since returning from a hamstring injury after the All Star break, the Nets are 9-12 in games that Lin has played in. They are 12-21 (.367) in the 33 games he's played in this season which may not sound like much, until one notes that the Nets are 7-38 (.156) in games he hasn't played in! Both teams are playing better offensively but the Nets average 106.2 PPG and Magic just 100.9 (27th of 30 teams) on the season. No reason for this total to be this high. The Under is a 10* play. |
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04-06-17 | Tigers v. White Sox UNDER 9.5 | Top | 2-11 | Loss | -120 | 7 h 20 m | Show |
The set-up: The Tigers and White Sox were scheduled to open the 2017 season with a three-game series in Chicago. However, the teams have been rained out on Monday and Wednesday, sandwiched around a 6-3 win by Detroit in Tuesday's contest. Thursday's conditions may be only marginally better than yesterday but the teams will try to get in one more in their scheduled three-game season-opening series.
The pitching matchup: The Tigers will send lefty Matthew Boyd (6-5 & 4.53 ERA in 2016) to the hill up against Chicago's James Shields. Shields split last season between San Diego and Chicago, going 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA. The two teams were 9-24 in his 33 starts and his moneyline mark of minus-$1403 was better than only Ervin Santana (minus-$1450) and Chris Archer (minus-$1553). So much for the moniker, "Big Game James!" He's been forced to wait two extra days for his initial shot at redemption. The veteran right-hander says that he has been able to "work out a few kinks" in the bullpen earlier this month, as he expects (hopes?) to have a better season in 2017. Could it get any worse? Detroit originally planned to start Jordan Zimmermann on Wednesday but instead will give the ball to Matthew Boyd, who notched a 2.10 ERA in 25 2/3 spring innings. “This spring I’ve grown as a pitcher,” said Boyd and he's hoping for better results against the White Sox than in previous starts (Boyd is 0-1 with a 5.04 ERA in four starts, as his teams are 1-3). |
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04-05-17 | Raptors v. Pistons OVER 197 | Top | 105-102 | Win | 100 | 18 h 48 m | Show |
The set-up: The 47-31 Toronto Raptors are tied with the Wizards and both teams have four games remaining, as they battle for the East's No. 3 seed. Toronto travels to Detroit on Wednesday to take on the 35-42 Pistons, whose playoff chances are hanging by a thread. The Pistons were last on the court in Friday's three-point OT at Milwaukee and with just five games remaining, find themselves 2 1/2 games out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto: The Raptors have played well despite PG Lowry's absence and had won eight of nine before getting thumped by 18 points last night in Indiana. DeMar DeRozan (27.3 & 5.3) scored 27 points against the Pacers but was 0-for-2 from three-point range, playing a small part in Toronto's 5-for-23 performance from beyond the arc. Forward Serge Ibaka was the primary culprit, missing all six of his three-point attempts! The Raptors had only 11 assists on 34 baskets, a sign they could really use Lowry (22.8-4.7-6.9) as the season winds down. Lowry (wrist) has participated in practice and is hoping to return to the lineup soon. Detroit: PG Reggie Jackson (14.5 & 5.2 APG)) is expected to miss his fifth straight game due to fatigue and physical issues (knee) and the Pistons know time is running out. "Right now, you continue to fight," head coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters Monday. "We know the deal. ... We pretty much have to go undefeated, and we need a couple of teams to lose three more games. It's not easy, but nothing's impossible in this league." The pick: Detroit is 24-15 at home, compared to just 11-27 on the road and comes in well-rested (hasn't played since Friday). No way Toronto shoots as poorly as it did last night and with this total opening under 200, the Over is a 10* play. |
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04-05-17 | Canadiens v. Sabres UNDER 5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 125 | 8 h 20 m | Show |
The set-up: The 46-24-9 Montreal Canadiens beat Florida 4-1 on Monday night with Charlie Lindgren in net to give All-Star Carey Price a rest and head to Buffalo tonight looking to make it six straight wins. The Sabres are 32-35-12 (76 points) and have already been eliminated from the playoffs, and will be sitting out the postseason for the sixth consecutive campaign. They are ending their regular season on a down note as well, with three straight losses, after a 4-2 setback against red-hot Toronto on Monday night. Montreal: The Canadiens are peaking at the right time and have allowed just six goals during their five-game winning streak.“It’s a good feeling knowing that we’re rolling right now,” Montreal captain Max Pacioretty told reporters. “We want to keep going and want guys to feel good about their game. … The offense is coming at the right time and hopefully we can maintain that.” Price has been his dominant self since late February as the former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner is 12-2-0 with a .945 save percentage in his last 14 appearances. Pacioretty leads the team in goals (35) and points (67) Buffalo: The Sabres have shown little fight lately and Monday was the perfect example. They gave up three goals in the first 5:09 of the contest with the Maple Leafs. “We’ve got three games left, and no matter who you are on this team you’ve got stuff to prove,” Buffalo captain Brian Gionta told reporters. “We’ve got to come out more prepared with more urgency, more care to our game. What we need to do these next three games is find a way to compete.” That's a good sentiment but I'm not sure anyone is listening. The pick: This is a game between two teams heading in opposite directions, as they meet for the final time this season. The Canadiens have registered at least a point in all three meetings this season (2-0-1) and five straight (4-0-1) against the Sabres. The Canadiens have been rejuvenated ever since making a surprising coaching change in mid-February, replacing Michel Therrien with former Boston coach Claude Julien. Since then, Montreal has only six losses in its 21 games. The Sabres are coming off one of their worst efforts of the season in Monday's home loss to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs (see above) and I don't expect much from them here, either. Regardless of who is on goal, the Under is a 10* play. |
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04-04-17 | Blackhawks v. Avalanche UNDER 5.5 | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -120 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: The 50-22-7 Chicago Blackhawks have already wrapped up home-ice advantage in the Western Conference playoffs and will draw the worst wild-card team in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Tonight, they play in Colorado against the 21-54-3 Avalanche, the worst team in the NHL for the entire season. Chicago: Head coach Joel Quenneville said he doesn't want to see his players take their collective foot completely off the gas but his team is in the enviable position of resting players down the stretch a bit as they begin a regular season-ending three-game road trip Tuesday in Colorado. "That’s the motivation right now, playing the right way defensively, trying to get four lines going and try to get some balance in ice time," Quenneville told reporters. "Keep everybody fresh, focused on what we need to do to be the best we can starting the following week. We want to make sure our habits and the simple things we're doing right." Colorado: Meanwhile, Colorado is playing out the string of the worst season in franchise history since the then-Quebec Nordiques of 1991-92 finished with 52 points (Avalanche have 45 points with four games remaining). The Avalanche haven't had anything to play for but pride since January and while pride might be a motivator, we've seen little indication of that in the team's record. Colorado clinched last place in the NHL this season long before Sunday's 5-2 loss at Minnesota, as with 45 points, the Avalanche's closest 'pursuer' is the Arizona Coyotes, who have 67 points. The only excitement lately for Avalanche fans has been the introduction of rookies.
The pick: Colorado has scored more than three goals just once in its last 18 games and averages 1.96 GPG on the season, easily the worst mark in the league. The Under is a 10* play. |
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04-04-17 | Bucks v. Thunder OVER 210.5 | Top | 79-110 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 15 m | Show |
The set-up: The 40-37 Milwaukee Bucks have overcome the season-ending injury to Jabari Parker and climbed into the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bucks are one game ahead of sixth-place Atlanta and two up on No. 7 Chicago, after suffering a disappointing 109-105 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Russell Westbrook continues to make individual history, recording his 40th triple-double of the season on Sunday and is one away from tying the record set by Oscar Robertson in 1961-62. However, the Thunder suffered a 113-101 home loss to the Hornets and at 43-33, are seeing their chances at the No. 5 seed in the West growing slimmer (OKC is three games back of the Clippers and 3 1/2 games back of the Jazz). Milwaukee: "I think we weren't who we are today," All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.2-8.7-5.4) told reporters after Sunday's loss. "We didn't do what we usually do. That's a game, we move on. We know how important these last five games are for us." Sunday's defeat marked just the fourth loss in the last 18 games for Milwaukee, which opens a three-game road trip on Tuesday.
Oklahoma City: Westbrook (31.9-10.6-10.4) continues to make individual history but says he's more interested in guiding his team to wins and locking up the best possible seed in the Western Conference playoffs. "We have to win, that's my thoughts," Westbrook responded when asked about the upcoming personal milestones. OKC may be looking up in the standings but the Thunder may also have to check the rear-view mirror. Oklahoma City is just 1 1/2 games ahead of the seventh-place Grizzlies and will begin a four-game road trip at Memphis on Wednesday, before closing out the regular season at home against Denver on Apr. 12. |
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04-04-17 | Jets v. Blues UNDER 5.5 | Top | 5-2 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: The St. Louis Blues are 19-7-2 since Mike Yeo took over as coach and Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Nashville gives the Blues a 43-28-7 record, overall. They have earned at least one point in nine consecutive games entering Tuesday’s home contest against the Winnipeg Jets, and are currently the Central Division's third-place team, with a two-point lead over the Nashville Predators. While the Blues have already secured a playoff spot, the 37-35-7 Winnipeg Jets entered this final week of the regular season having already been eliminated from the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years. That will allow them to look at some of their young players in their remaining games.Winnipeg: The Jets recalled their top two prospects, Jack Roslovic and Kyle Connor, from the minor leagues on Monday and coach Paul Maurice said the two 20-year-old forwards will be in the lineup for some of the remaining three games. Mathieu Perreault scored the go-ahead goal in Saturday’s 4-2 victory over Ottawa and has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past nine contests. He has at least one point in 31 of his past 36 games. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has won three of his past five starts as the second-year net-minder settled down in stopping 49-of-54 shots in victories over New Jersey and Ottawa last week. A four-game winning streak has pushed Winnipeg over .500 for the first time since Nov. 17.
St. Louis, Yes, the Blues have clinched a playoff spot, but that has not altered the motivation for the St. Louis Blues for the final week of the regular season. “We need to crunch down and play the way we want to play" Blues center Alexander Steen told reporters after scoring the tie-breaking goal in the second period on Sunday. St. Louis has at least one point in 14 of its past 15 games (12-1-2) and plays its final four games against teams out of or nearly eliminated from playoff contention. Goaltender Jake Allen, who was at one point this season for inconsistent play, made 35 saves Sunday and is 9-1-2 in his past 12 outings. The pick: The Jets may be out of the playoffs but they are 7-2 their last nine (including four straight wins), while the Blues are red-hot at 12-1-2 their last 15. Both goaltenders o are on top of their games and the Under is a 10*play. |
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04-03-17 | Angels v. A's UNDER 8 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 14 h 12 m | Show |
The set-up: The Oakland A's host the LA Angels on Monday, as the two AL West foes open the season with a four-game series. The A's made three consecutive playoff appearances (2012-14) but have lost 94 and 93 games each of the last two years, giving them back-to-back last-place finishes in the division. The Angels won the division in 2014 (98 wins was a MLB-high!) but were just 74-88 last year, missing out on the playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. That was preceded by making the postseason in six of eight seasons, beginning back in 2002 when the team won the World Series. The pitching matchup: Ricky Nolasco (2016: 8-14, 4.42 ERA in 2016 with Minnesota and LA) will face Oakland's Kendall Graveman, who is coming off a 10-11 (4.11 ERA) season. Nolasco will be making the fourth Opening Day start of his career, in his first full season with the Angels. He went 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA and one shutout in 11 starts after being acquired from Minnesota but went 3-0 while allowing just one unearned run over his last three outings of 2016, including an eight-inning effort against Oakland. Nolasco is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA and a shutout in seven career starts versus the Athletics (teams are 4-3). Graveman gets the nod for his first career start on Opening Day, after working a team-high 186 innings last season. He was winless in his final six starts of 2016 (0-3 with the team going 1-5) but allowed three runs or fewer four times in that span. Graveman has pitched well in six career starts against the Angels, posting a 1-1 record and 3.38 ERA with one complete game (team is 3-3). The pick: When one thinks "Opening Day starters," the names of Nolasco and Graveman don't readily come to mind. However, both pitched well down the stretch last season and I'm making the Under a 10* play. |
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04-02-17 | 76ers v. Raptors UNDER 211.5 | Top | 105-113 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 23 m | Show |
Philadelphia: The 76ers have lost five of seven, after getting trounced 122-105 at Cleveland on Friday. The team dressed only nine players and lost despite 19 points apiece from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Richaun Holmes (who?). Simmons never played a game this season and Embiid's season was limited to just 31 games. Then in late-March, the team announced that Jahlil Okafor (knee soreness) and Robert Covington (knee) also will miss the remainder of the year. Dario Saric was making his own run at ROY but only shot 3-of-12 from the floor on Friday and has now failed to reach 30 percent shooting in three of his last four outings. The pick: The 76ers have lost eight straight visits to Toronto and look like a M*A*S*H unit but here's the bottom line. Philadelphia is 18-7 ATS over its last 25 games. Make Philly an 8* play. |
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04-02-17 | Predators v. Blues UNDER 5 | Top | 1-4 | Push | 0 | 6 h 21 m | Show |
The set-up: The St. 42-28-7 St. Louis Blues lost 2-1 in a shootout Friday at Colorado but with the one point, clinched a playoff spot with 91 points. Speaking of 91 points, the 40-27-11 Nashville Predators also have 91 points after Saturday's 3-0 home win over the Wild. These two Central Division rivals square off this afternoon in St. Louis with the Blues sitting in third-place due to owning the tiebreaker and the Predators needing one point to clinch a postseason berth. Nashville: The Predators snapped a two-game slide with Saturday's win, giving the team an 8-3-0 record in its last 11. The Predators are closing in on a third straight playoff appearance and have won three of the first four meetings in what will be a five-game season series with the Blues. Pekka Rinne (31-18-8, 2.44 GAA & .917 save percentage) recorded his third shutout of the season against the Wild and is 5-2-0 with a .944 save percentage in his last seven games. He's expected to be in net again on Sunday, in what may be the biggest game of the season. St. Louis: The Blues are banged up on the blue line with Carl Gunnarsson missing the last two games (lower body) and Robert Bortuzzo leaving Friday's contest with an upper-body injury, forcing the team to recall Petteri Lindbohm from Chicago of the American Hockey League under emergency conditions. However, while goalie Jake Allen (30-19-5, 2.39 GAA and .915 save percentage) suffered his second loss in his last three games on Friday (1-0-2), he finished March with a .953 save percentage, the best non-April month of his career. The pick: The Blues haven't been perfect recently but no one is holding that against them, as the team has surged into the postseason with an 11-1-2 record in their last 14 games. This is a YUGE game and both goalies come in playing great. Throw in the fact that the Blues are 1-for-15 on the power play in their last six contests while the Predators are 0-for-13 in their last four, and the Under is a 10* play. |
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04-01-17 | Maple Leafs v. Red Wings UNDER 5.5 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -127 | 9 h 50 m | Show |
The setup: Detroit's record streak of consecutive playoff appearances is officially over as they are the lone Atlantic team to be out of contention in the East. Toronto is looking to make the playoffs for the first time in years. They are currently fourth in the Atlantic and hold the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Toronto: The Maple Leafs have won two straight. They are also 3-0 vs. the Red Wings this year. This is a strong offensive team that ranks 5th in the league in goals per game. They've been playing good hockey for awhile now going 9-2-1 the last 12 games. But it's been goaltending, not the offense, carrying them. They've allowed two goals or less in 10 of those past 12 games. Detroit: The Red Wings have lost two straight and given up nine goals in the process. However, goalie Jimmy Howard should still give them hope. He has a .932 save percentage for the year. Most importantly, the Under is 13-3 this year when Howard starts. The pick: With the Under being so profitable when Howard is in goal, I've gotta lean that way. Especially considering how few goals the Leafs have allowed lately. Make the Under is a 10* play |
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04-01-17 | South Carolina v. Gonzaga UNDER 138 | Top | 73-77 | Loss | -105 | 78 h 44 m | Show |
The set-up: Gonzaga has often been viewed as "the little school that could" over the last two decades but in the school's first-ever Final 4 game, the 36-1 Bulldogs are the West's No. 1 seed and face the lone true underdog remaining in the field, the 26-10 and 7th-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks. Gonzaga is 1-2-1 ATS in reaching the Final 4 while South Carolina is a perfect 4-0 ATS. The Gamecocks opened by routing Marquette 93-73 as a one-point favorite and then have knocked off the West's No. 2 (Duke), No. 3 (Baylor) and No. 4 seeds (Florida), each time as an underdog. South Carolina: The Gamecocks have thrived behind high-scoring senior guard Sindarius Thornwell (25.6 PPG and 7.5 RPG in four NCAA wins) and some hellacious wear-you-down defense. Thornwell (21.6 & 7.2 on the season) may have been the SEC player-of-the-year but he was widely unknown prior to this year's Big Dance. That's no longer the case and he's aided by a pair of workman-like guards in Dozier (13.8 & 4.7) and Notice (10.2). South Carolina's frontcourt is suspect, although the 6-9 Silva (10.1 & 5.9) has been a stud in the team's four wins, averaging 13.0 & 7.8. However, the 6-10 Kotsar (5.9 & 4.8) hasn't added much. The key has been a defense which has held Duke to 41.5% shooting, Baylor to 30.4% and Florida to 41.7%. Fiery South Carolina head coach Frank Martin says, "Our inside play has gotten good again. It kind of disappeared on us there the last month of the season. But our inside guys have played well in the NCAA Tournament." That frontcourt will be tested by Gonzaga's big men. Gonzaga: Williams-Goss (16.7-5.9-4.6) gets sold help on the perimeter from Mathews (12.2 & 5.8) and Perkins (8.2). Then there is Gonzaga's big men, starters like the 7-foot, 300-pound Przemek Karnowski (12.2 & 5.8) and the 6-9 Williams (10.3 & 6.6), who averaged 16.0 & 7.0 in Sweet 16 and Elite 8 wins. Throw in 7-0 freshman Collins (9.9 & 5.7) coming off the bench and it's easy to see the challenge facing South Carolina. Gonzaga averages 83.2 PPG (14th) on 50.9% shooting (2nd) and sometimes the team's defense is overlooked. However, Gonzaga enters allowing 60.9 PPG (5th) on 36.4% shooting (1st). Gonzaga ranks No. 1 overall in defensive efficiency! The pick: South Carolina has forced an average of 17 turnovers in four NCAA Tournament games and has outscored every opponent in the second half by an average of 13he points. The Gamecocks defense will put a lot of pressure on Williams-Goss but is there any reason to believe that he's not up to the challenge? Gonzaga shoots 50.9% from the floor with great balance on offense (inside and out) plus holds opponents to 36.4 percent. That's quite a 'daily double.' West Va. averaged 81.5 PPG this season but was held to 59 by Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 and Xavier averaged 74.6 PPG on the year but was held to 58 in the Elite 8 game. South Carolina will struggle to score but its defense will definitely "show up" Gonzaga gets its toughest test to-date and "the Zags" just may be tight. Make the Under a 10* play. |
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03-31-17 | Blues v. Avalanche UNDER 5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 127 | 11 h 35 m | Show |
The set-up: The St. Louis Blues are riding an 11-1-1 hot streak as they visit the Pepsi Center and take on the sad-sack 20-53-3 Colorado Avalanche. The Blues' 42-28-6 record gives them 90 points and a St. Louis win (in regulation) would clinch at least the second wild-card position in the conference. The Avalanche come in having dropped seven in a row and nine of 10 and their 43 points on the season leaves them 20 points shy of Arizona, the second-worst team in the league. |
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03-31-17 | Mavs v. Grizzlies OVER 191.5 | Top | 90-99 | Loss | -108 | 9 h 26 m | Show |
The set-up: The Memphis Grizzlies 'limped' home after an 0-4 road trip in which the team had averaged only 89 points. However, they exploded for 72 points in the first half alone while breezing to a 110-97 win over the Indiana Pacers at home on Wednesday. That said, the team's 0-4 road trip likely doomed the 41-34 Grizzlies to the West's No. 7 spot in the West (currently trail No. 6 OKC by three games in the loss column with just seven remaining). The 31-42 Dallas Mavericks visit Memphis tonight and after making a run at the final playoff spot in the West, have all but been officially eliminated with three straight losses and seven in their last 10 games. Dallas: It's generous to say that Dallas playoff hopes are dwindling, as the Mavs will play the next four and six of their final eight games on the road (Dallas is 9-25 SU away from home this season!). Dallas has started turning its attention to next season and is building a strong core around Harrison Barnes, Seth Curry, Nerlens Noel and Yogi Ferrell. Noel is providing a defensive presence next to future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki in the frontcourt while Curry and Barnes emerged this season as go-to scorers. Ferrell, who signed a two-year contract after a strong start with the team in February, has 14-of-22s proven to be a more than capable PG. Memphis: PG Conley led the charge in Wednesday's win, scoring 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-12 from three-point range, while adding six assists and four steals. He signed that huge contract in the off-season and has delivered a "career year" (20.4 & 6.3 APG). While PF Randolph now comes off the bench he and center Marc Gasol still give the Grizzlies a strong one-two inside duo. Gasol averages 19.9-6.3-4.6 and Randolph 14.0 & 8.1. The pick: The Mavs have had trouble consistently scoring all season (98.0 PPG ranks 30th!) but that's why the over/under number is so low. Dallas has been a solid defensive team for most of the season but recently, the Mavs have allowed 109.6 PPG over their last five road games. Make the Over a 10* play. |
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03-30-17 | Lakers v. Wolves UNDER 220.5 | Top | 104-119 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 50 m | Show |
The set-up: The 21-53 LA Lakers have lost 16 of their last 18 but the 22-53 Suns seem determined to challenge them for the West's worst record (second-worst in the NBA next to the Nets). The Lakers are in Minnesota tonight to take on the hugely disappointing 29-44 Minnesota T-wolves, who just ended a six-game slide with a 115-114 win Tuesday at Indiana. |
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03-30-17 | Blue Jackets v. Hurricanes UNDER 5.5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
The set-up: The Carolina Hurricanes' last playoff appearance came back in the 2008-09 season but a 12-game point streak (8-0-4) has them at 34-27-14 (82 points), within four points of Boston for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes will host the 49-19-7 Columbus Blue Jackets tonight and Columbus also enters on an impressive 12-game streak, having earned points in 10 of 12 games, going 9-2-1.Columbus: The Blue Jackets (105 points) sit in second-place in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division, five points back of the Capitols and two points ahead of the Penguins. Columbus has already secured a playoff spot but head coach John Tortorella is worried his team's inconsistent offense, which has scored just seven goals during the last four games (2-1-1). Columbus has used goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in the last two matchups with Carolina, with each team winning once. Bobrovsky holds an NHL-leading 41 victories this season and owns a personal 12-game points streak (10-0-2). His save percentage is a stunning .959 in his last 16 games!Carolina: The Hurricanes have just seven games remaining and to reach an Eastern Conference playoff spot, they must pass three more teams and make up four points. Carolina is four points back of the Boston Bruins for the second wild card but has a game in hand. Carolina's goalie situation seems clear. Eddie Lack is recovering from Monday night's brief hospitalization for what was determined to be a neck strain. He was back to watch Tuesday night's game but is likely out of action for at least another few days. Cam Ward will start, looking to improve his 25-20-11 record, 2.69 GGA and .905 save percentage.
The pick: Picking against Columbus is tough, as the Blue Jackets are 9-0-1 in their last 10 games against Metropolitan Division opponents. Bobrovsky will be in net and remember that .959 save percentage in his last 16. However, also remember that Columbus has scored only seven goals in its last four games. The under is a 10* play. |
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03-29-17 | Hornets v. Raptors OVER 204.5 | Top | 110-106 | Win | 100 | 11 h 27 m | Show |
The set-up: The 45-29 Raptors beat the visiting Orlklando Magic 131-112 on Monday, givng them their second, six-game winning streak of the season. Toronto is now just one game back of the Washington Wizards for the East's No. 3 seed as it gets set to host the 33-41 Charlotte Hornets, whose playoff chances took a big hit with a 118-108 loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday, one which left them three games out of eighth place with only eight to play. Charlotte: A bright spot in Tuesday's loss was that center Frank Kaminsky (11.6 & 4.7) had 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting in 28 turnover-free minutes, his best effort since returning from a shoulder injury. All Star guard Kemba Walker (22.9-4.0-5.5) is averaging 28.3 points on 52.6 percent the last three games but the bottom line is that time is running out on the Hornets. The loss to the Bucks was the first of a nine-game stretch to close the season, all coming against teams currently holding down a playoff spot or in contention for one. Five of the team's remaining eight will also come on the road, beginning right here in Toronto.Toronto: The Raptors' recent surge has not only moved Toronto within a game of third place Washington but also to within 2 1/2 games of the slumping and second-place Cleveland Cavs. Toronto is eagerly awaiting the return of All-Star PG Kyle Lowry (22.8-4.7-6.9) from his wrist injury but Cory Joseph scored 15 points and handed out a career-high 13 assists versus Orlando and has averaged 12.5 points in 18 starts- all but one of which came after Lowry was sidelined. DeRozan (27.2 & 5.3 is averaging 34 points over his last four games and reserve shooting guard Norman Powell has averaged 13.1 PPG in 22 minutes during March. |
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03-28-17 | 76ers v. Nets UNDER 221.5 | Top | 106-101 | Win | 100 | 11 h 30 m | Show |
The set-up: The 27-46 Philadelphia 76ers and the 16-57 Brooklyn Nets own the fifth-worst and absolute-worst records in the NBA, respectively. However, the 76ers have split their last eight games and the Nets are 7-8 over their last 15 contests. In head-to-head meetings this season, the 76ers have won the two earlier meetings with the Nets, including a 10-point triumph in their first visit to Barclays Center. Philadelphia: Rookie Dario Saric (12.8 & 6.4) has made a late run at ROY honors but was just 3-for-15 from the floor in Sunday's 107-94 road loss against the Pacers, as his string of double-digit games was snapped at 22 when he finished with just nine. Since Embiid's last appearance, Philadelphia is 10-18. Philly continues to be plagued by injuries, as not only will the Sixers be without Embiid but Jahlil Okafor is unlikely to play Tuesday. Okafor (11.8 & 4.8) has missed three of the last four games with a knee injury but Richaun Holmes (8.8 & 5.1) has benefited, scooping up those starts and recording two of his three double-doubles on the season. Along with Holmes stepping up, the 6-9 Shawn Long has scored at least 13 points - nearly twice his season average - while shooting 63.3 percent in a three-game stretch. Brooklyn: PG Jeremy Lin's return to health has been the primary catalyst in Brooklyn's improved results, as the team is now 9-16 with him in the lineup and 7-41 without. Lin scored 19 points and handed out eight assists against Atlanta while swingman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (8.4 & 5.6) notched his sixth double-double with 11 points and 13 boards.Center Brook Lopez (20.6) and has been the one constant all season. He's scored 23-plus points in seven of Brooklyn's last nine games (Nets are 5-4). The pick: The season stats will say that the Nets allow more points than any team in the league at 113.3 PPG but the Nets are allowing a more modest 108.9 PPG game in March, which is also skewed by the 130 allowed at Portland on March 4, 122 against Oklahoma City on March 14 and 129 against Washington on Friday. Note that in the team's last three wins (Nets are favored here!), Brooklyn is allowing 95.3 points on 38.2 percent shooting, including 22.7 percent from three-point range. The Under is a 10* play. |
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03-27-17 | Coyotes v. Blues UNDER 5.5 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 13 h 48 m | Show |
The set-up: The 27-39-9 Arizona Coyotes have gone 1-3-0 on their current five-game road trip and with 63 points, own fewer points than every team in the NHL not named the Avalanche. They conclude their trip tonight in St. Louis against the 40-28-6 Blues. St. Louis has all but sealed a playoff spot with a strong month (team is 9-1-1 in March). The team's surge has allowed them to climb within one point of Nashville for third in the Central Division, a spot that would take away the prospect of meeting red-hot Chicago in the first round of the playoffs. Arizona: The Coyotes are just not putting the puck in the net and while No. 1 goalie Mike Smith owns a respectable .916 save percentage in his last 10 starts, he also owns just one win in that span (1-7-2). Fellow goaltender Louis Domingue has had more luck, winning his last three contests. The Coyotes have lost five of their last six games but have at least one reason to look forward to Monday night's contest. It will mark the NHL debut of their top pick in last summer's draft, forward Clayton Keller. The St. Louis native signed an entry-level contract on Sunday, one day after his Boston University team lost in the NCAA tournament. St. Louis: The Blues look to rebound from a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Calgary on Saturday, a game in which all three of the Flames' goals came off deflections by St. Louis players. However, with much to play for, the Blues have to like that they get to face the Coyotes at home tonight and then again in Arizona on Wednesday, before playing at the sad-sack Avalanche (owners of an NHL-low 43 points) on Friday. Looking ahead has become the team's focus, as they come into Monday night's game trailing the Nashville Predators by just one point in the battle for third in the Central plus they are only two points behind the Flames for the top wild-card spot, The pick: Arizona has scored just three times in its last four losses, which includes a 3-0 setback against these Blues back on March 18, the last game Arizona played at home before heading out for this current road trip. The Coyotes conclude their trek here in St. Louis and I don't expect scoring to come any easier for them here against the Blues, than it was at home, where they were shut out! Make the Under an 8* play. |
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03-27-17 | Magic v. Raptors UNDER 206 | Top | 112-131 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 19 m | Show |
The set-up: The 44-29 Toronto Raptors have won five in a row, closing to within 3 1/2 games of first in the East and are now just one game behind the Wizards for the East's third seed. Saturday night's 94-86 win at Dallas clinched Toronto's fourth straight playoff appearance and now the Raptors look to improve their seeding. The 27-46 Orlando Magic come to town, having long ago given up on any realistic playoff aspirations. Howerer, they arrive in Toronto having won three of the last four, after a 115-87 home rout of the Pistons on Friday. |
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03-26-17 | 76ers v. Pacers OVER 211 | Top | 94-107 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 18 m | Show |
The set-up: The 27-45 Philadelphia 76ers will be in Indiana on Sunday to take on the 36-36 Pacers. The Pacers are 7th in the East, just one game back of the Hawks and Bucks (who are tied for 5th) but Indiana is also just one game ahead of the 8th-place heat. The Pacers lost 125-117 at home Denver on Friday, their second straight loss. It also ended a streak of 15 straight games in which the Pacers had alternated wins and losses. As for Philadelphia, it improved to 1-2 on its current five-game road trip with a 117-107 win Friday at Chicago. Philadelphia: The 76ers sidelined rookie Joel Embiid (knee) until the summer but fellow rookie Dario Saric has made his own late-run at ROY honors. He shot 12-of-19 with a pair of three-pointers and added 10 rebounds against Chicago, upping his season stats to 12.8 & 6.3. Another rookie, the 6-9 Shawn Long (7.1 & 3.9), set a career high with 18 points in 19 minutes. The 76ers have all sorts of injuries but continue to play hard. Indiana: The Pacers have lost two straight and are 7-14 in their last 21. Indiana is in the midst of a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference, leading the Miami Heat by one game for the No. 8 seed and find themselves just 2 1/2 games clear of ninth-place Chicago and Detroit. Indiana has lost three of its last four games, allowing at least 100 points in all four of those contests. |
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03-26-17 | South Carolina v. Florida OVER 134.5 | Top | 77-70 | Win | 100 | 6 h 23 m | Show |
The set-up: 25-10 Arkansas and 27-8 Florida will meet Sunday at Madison Square Garden for the right to go to the Final Four. It's the first time since Kentucky and LSU in 1986 that two SEC teams will meet in a regional final. Florida and South Carolina split its two regular-season meetings, with the Gamecocks taking a 57-53 decision on Jan. 18 in Columbia and the Gators paying them back with an 81-66 win on Feb. 21 in Gainesville. Arkansas; The seventh-seeded Gamecocks ended a 44-year NCAA drought with their first round win over Marquette and have followed with wins over Duke (No. 2 seed) and Baylor (No. 3 seed). South Carolina used an 18-0 first half run to back up another strong defensive performance in its upset of Baylor. The Gamecocks enter this game having allowed 64.8 PPG (30th) on the season, after forcing 16 turnovers while holding Baylor to 30.4 percent shooting. That Arkansas "D" has allowed opponets to shoot just 39.8% on the year (16th), including 29.9% on threes (8th). Arkansas is a guard-oriented team, led by SEC player-of-the-year, Thornwell (21.4 & 7.2). Thornwell may have been "under the radar" coming into this tourney but that's no longer the case. He's averaged 26.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG in the Gamecocks' three tourney wins. He's joined on the perimeter by Dozier (13.7 & 4.7) and Notice (10.3), with South Carolina's lone big man of note being the 6-9 Silva (10.1 & 5.8). Florida; While South Carolina rolled in its Sweet 16 matchup, the Gators blew a 12-point lead against the 8th-seeded Badgers, who sent the game into OT with a dramatic leaping, one-legged 3-pointer by Zak Showalter at the buzzer. Then, the Gators won the game on Cris Chiozza's (7.1) buzzer-beating three-pointer of his own, as Florida escaped 84-83. Like South Carolina, Florida is a perimeter-oriented team, led by guards Allen (14.1), Barry (11.6), Robinson (11.3) and Hill (9.7 & 4.4 APG). Florida's bet big man, Egbunu (7.8 & 6.5), was lost in mid-Feb. to a knee injury, leaving only the 6-8 Leon (7.1 & 4.0) and the 6-9 Hayes (6.1 & 4.3) up front. The pick: Like Arkansas, Florida is also an excellent defensive team, allowing 66.2 PPG (44th). That gives us a 'workable' t\over/under number, favoring the over. In this neutral-site setting, expect a game similar to the one we saw when the teams met in late Feb. at Gainesville, one in which the final score totaled 147 points. The Over is a 10* play. |
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03-25-17 | Raptors v. Mavs OVER 194.5 | Top | 94-86 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 12 m | Show |
The set-up: The 31-40 Dallas Mavericks have seen thir playoff chances shrink, after splitting the first two of a four-game homestand (lost to the Warriors, then beat the Clippers) that features four opponents ranked in the top-10 in the NBA in terms of winning percentage. Up next is tonight's game with the 43-29 Raptors, followed by the Thunder. Then, it's off on a five-game road swing. Dallas is 3 1/2 games out of the West's final playoff spot and things are not looking good. Meanwhile, the Raptors have pulled away and now have a six-game edge over the Hawks for the East's No. 4 seed and find themselves just one game back of the Wizards, who are currently trying to hold onto the No. 3 seed. Toronto: The Raptors are doing just fine without star PG Kyle Lowry (22.8-4.8-6.9), going 10-5 since he was sidelined with a wrist injury. Toronto's won four in a row, getting another huge effort from DeMar DeRozan (27.2-5.4-3.8), when the Raptors rallied from 15 points down to earn a 101-84 win at Miami on Thursday. DeRozan had 40 points, reaching the 40-point mark in back-to-back games (had 42 two nights earlier against the Bulls). DeRozan was the only starter to score in double figures in the win at Miami, as guards Delon Wright and Norman Powell combined for 27 points off the bench. Powell is averaging 13.4 points in 22.5 minutes this month. Power forward Serge Ibaka will return to the lineup Saturday following a one-game suspension for a fight with Chicago's Robin Lopez on Tuesday. Dallas: Head coach Rick Carlisle is transitioning into experimentation mode with a young and fluid roster with the team's playoff hopes fading. After being over-matched against the Warriors, the Mavs edged the Clipper 97-95, as Seth Curry led all scorers with 23 points and Nerlens Noel had eight points and 12 rebounds on Thursday. Noel got the start and it's significant to note that he is averaging 13.8 points on 63.4 percent shooting and 8.9 rebounds in nine starts this season between Philadelphia and Dallas. He may just be a quality performer in this league. The pick: The Raptors have a real chance to catch Washington for the No. 3 seed and won't let a chance slip by here, against the "looking towards next year" Mavericks. Toronto has averaged 113.0 PPG its last three and with this low total, the Over is a 10* play. |
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03-24-17 | Hawks v. Bucks OVER 203.5 | Top | 97-100 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
The set-up: The 37-34 Atlanta Hawks are barely holding on to the East's No. 5 spot, after five consecutive losses. Meanwhile, the 36-25 Milwaukee Bucks are just one game back of the sliding Hawks, having won 10 of their last 12. Milwaukee: Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.0-8.5-5.4) scored 32 points and added 13 rebounds to lead Milwaukee to a 116-98 win at Sacramento on Wednesday, as the Bucks capped an impressive 4-2 road trip.n "The Greek Freak" also had six assists, two steals and a block, as he continues to lead the league's hottest team while relishing the intensity of the stretch run. "We're chasing right now, so there's no pressure," Antetokounmpo told the media Wednesday. "We were 11th and now we're (tied for) sixth. We'll keep chasing and try to get even higher. We're having fun right now and playing good basketball." |
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03-24-17 | Butler v. North Carolina UNDER 153 | Top | 80-92 | Loss | -110 | 54 h 30 m | Show |
The set-up: Butler has a history of pulling off upsets in the NCAA Tournament, as almost no one forgets the team's back-to-back title-game runs back in 2010 and 2011. However, the fourth-seeded Bulldogs, who are 25-8, will have their hands full with the top-seed in the Midwest, the 29-7 North Carolina Tar Heels. Butler: The Bulldogs pretty much breezed through the first weekend, never trailing in wins over Winthrop 76-64 and Middle Tennessee State 74-65. Butler's top scorer is the 6-7 Martin (16.0 & 5.8), who comes off the bench. Interestingly, the team's top play-maker, guard Lewis (6.5 & 4.0 APG), also comes off the bench. The starters are the 6-7 Chrabascz (11.1 & 4.5) and the 6-8 Wideman (7.4 & 5.1) up front plus guards Baldwin (10.0), Woodson (8.9) and Savage (8.0). Butler was an efficient offensive team all season, shooting 47.9% (32nd) but through their first two NCAA games, the Bulldogs are shooting 50 percent overall and 47 percent from three-point range. North Carolina. The Tar Heels laid waste to to Texas Southern in the first round (103-64) but after blowing a lead against Arkansas, had to rally from a five-point deficit in the final 3 1/2 minutes. Carolina ended the game on a 12-0 run to win, 72-65. “Sometimes you need games like that,” North Carolina guard Joel Berry II told reporters. “We haven’t had a game like that in a while. Now we know we can win a game when we’re down five with three minutes to go.” North Carolina has no shortage of offensive weapons and comes in averaging 85.1 PPG (10th). 6-8 swingman Justin Jackson (18.1 & 4.7) plus 6-10 forward Kennedy Meeks (12.7 & 9.1) and 6-9 forward Isaiah Hicks (12.4 & 5.7) make for quite a starting frontcourt. PG Berry (14.4 & 3.7 APG) has been hobbled by an ankle injury and struggled to a 2-for-13 shooting performance against the Razorbacks. North Carolina could sure use a good game from him, as the Tar Heels have already lost a starting guard in Williams (6.2), to a knee injury. The pick: North Carolina is well aware that Butler owns two wins over Villanova this season, so it will want to control the tempo, whether Berry is 100 percent, or not. Butler is the more delibertat team but remember, both teams shoot well and can score. North Carolina has won 12 of its last 13 Sweet 16 games and note that Butler is 20-0 this season and 55-2 under coach Chris Holtmann, when shooting a higher percentage than its opponent. The Under is a 10* play. |
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03-23-17 | Jets v. Kings OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 130 | 15 h 35 m | Show |
The set-up: The 33-33-7 Winnipeg Jets play the 34-31-7 LA Kings tonight at Staples Center. If the NHL playoffs were to begin today, the Jets and the Kings would be the first two Western Conference teams on the outside looking in at the postseason. However, it's not as if the two teams would "just miss" The Jets have just nine games remaining but find themselves 10 points behind the West's second wild card spot, while the Kings have 10 games still to play but are eight points back. Winnipeg: The Jets won 3-2 at home on Tuesday over the Flyers, giving them three straight wins. Michael Hutchinson made his first start since Jan. 16 and had 24 saves, earning his first victory in a start since Dec. 22 against Vancouver. The Jets haven't had trouble scoring (rank seventh at 2.99 goals per game), but they are 28th in goals allowed per contest (3.16). LA Kings: The Kings have lost four of their past five games and it hardly looks as if they will be playing more than 82 games this season."We're not done fighting," Kings forward Dustin Brown said. "We put ourselves in a really hard spot and we've got to fight our way out of it and, at the end of the day, we need other teams to falter." That might be a nice sentiment but it's hardly realistic. LA's defense and goaltending have been solid most of the season, giving up just 2.46 goals per game (fifth) but the Kings has surrendered seven goals in their past two contests and Jonathan Quick was pulled after allowing two goals on seven shots in Sunday’s 5-2 loss at Calgary. The pick: As noted above, the Jets cans score but also have trouble stopping opponents from doing so and this game hardly will have a "Stanley Cup atmosphere." Make the Over a an 8* play. |
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03-23-17 | Suns v. Nets UNDER 223.5 | Top | 98-126 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 44 m | Show |
The set-up: Just three teams are mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, with tonight's game between the 22-49 Phoenix Suns and the 14-56 Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center featuring two of those three. Phoenix stated its intentions clearly when it decided to bench veteran center Tyson Chandler (8.4 & 8.2) and backup PG Brandon Knight (11.0) after the All-Star break and then followed suit by shutting down leading scorer Eric Bledsoe (21.1-4.1-4.8) in mid-March. The Nets have owned the NBA's worst record for quite some time now but with the return of PG Jeremy Lin after the All Star break, have shown some grit. The Suns have lost all four games (also 0-4 ATS) since Bledsoe has been shelved and take a 1-7 SU slide (2-6 ATS) into tonight's game, continuing a six-game road trip (Suns are 0-2 so far). As noted at the top, Phoenix is searching (hoping?) for encouraging performances from its young players. The Suns have seen 6-7 PF Alan Williams record a double-double in eight of his last 10 games but he sat out due to an illness on Tuesday and is questionable for Thursday. However, rookie power forward Marquese Chriss (8.7 & 3.9) scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Tuesday's loss (he's averaging 17.5 points over the last four games). Rookie PG Tyler Ulis is averaging 41 minutes over the last four games with Bledsoe on the sidelines and is posting 14.5 points and 9.5 assists in that span. Devin Booker returned from sitting out Sunday's loss in Detroit with a sore right ankle but was held to 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting while recording a minus-29 in 34 minutes. He is averaging 20.8 points this season but is shooting 23.6 percent (13-of-55) in his last three games. Brooklyn: The return of PG Lin (13.7 & 4.9 APG) after the All Star break was good news for the Nets. He had finally gotten over his hamstring problems but he then tweaked his ankle against Dallas and missed Tuesday's game (is listed as day-to-day). Lin being out is not good news, as he had averaged 16.5 points in the eight games prior to going down in the first quarter against the Mavericks. Still, the Nets are 5-7 since March 1 when they snapped a 16-game losing streak at Sacramento. Center Brook Lopez was mobbed by his teammates for hitting a buzzer-beater in Tuesday's 98-96 win over the Pistons. The veteran center is the unquestioned leader of the team and is trying to keep his young teammates focused through the end of a lost season. He's scored at least 23 points in each of the last six games, averaging 25.5 PPG in that span. The pick: It's the two-worst defensive teams in the NBA tonight, as the Suns allow 112.5 PPG (29th) and the Nets 113.6 PPG (30th). Naturally, the over/under number is YUGE and note that both teams will be without key performers. The Under is an 8* play. |
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03-22-17 | 76ers v. Thunder UNDER 218 | Top | 97-122 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 41 m | Show |
The set-up: The 26-44 Philadelphia 76ers are headed for the lottery once again but while the team has been well-known for its "tanking" strategy to stockpile high draft picks in recent years, the Sixers seem to be taking a different route this season, despite being crippled by injuries. Philly will be in Oklahoma City Wednesday night to take on the 40-30 Thunder, who own the No. 6 seed in the West. OKC is trying to catch the 5th-seeded Clippers (sit two games back) but also has to be careful not to be caught by the 7th-seeded Grizzlies, who are just one game back of the Thunder. Philadelphia: Injuries have made it a long season for the 76ers, with No. 1 overall draft pick Ben Simmons never 'seeing' the court. Joel Embiid (20.2 & 7.8), after sitting out two years with foot problems, was on pace to win rookie-of-the-year, before having his season cut short (31 games), because of yet another injury setback. However, fellow rookie Dario Saric's bid for ROY continues. Saric is now averaging 12.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG on the season. He will enter tonight's contest looking to score in double digits for the 21st consecutive game! Oklahoma City: The Thunder got thumped again by the hated-Warriors, this time even though Golden St. was without 'trader' Kevin Durant. Westbrook was just 4 of 16 from the floor in Monday's 111-95 loss, as the Warriors swept the season series 4-0 (all wins by at least 16 points!). In fact, Thompson and Curry combined for 57 points, which was more than OKC's five starters combined to score (53, including only 15 by Westbrook!). That loss ended OKC's five-game winning streak, in which the Thunder had bested opponents by an average of 14.6 PPG. The pick: The Thunder can't afford losses to teams like Philly on their home court but as Philly head coach Brett Brown notes, his squad has not given up. "I think that they play hard for each other," Brown told NBA.com. "I think that there is an accountability and a responsibility that they feel to one another." NBA coaches can't point to ATS records to make a point but I can. The 76ers enter this contest having covered SEVEN straight games and expect them to make a game of this one, as well. In the end, I favor the total more and will make the Under a 10* play. |
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03-21-17 | Spurs v. Wolves OVER 205.5 | Top | 100-93 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 20 m | Show |
San Antonio: With the news of K.D.'s injury reverberating through the league, there were some (many?) who thought the Spurs had a good chance of catching the Warriors for the West's top record. San Antonio was able to catch the Warriors with a108-85 home win over Golden St. on Mar. 11 and a Mar. 13 win over Atlanta (at 52-14). By owning the tie-breaking edge, the Spurs were briefly the West's top seed. However, the Spurs are just 1-2 since tying Golden St. atop the standings, while the Warriors have ripped off four straight wins. Hence, the two-game deficit in the loss column and 2 1/2 game deficit, overall. PG Tony Parker (10.4 & 4.7 APG) has struggled to stay healthy but he looked like his former star self with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and seven assists in the team's 118-102 victory over Kings. Coach Gregg Popovich is even more pleased that PF LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 19.3 points and eight rebounds in three games since returning from heart arrhythmia issues. Minnesota: All losses in Minnesota's recent three-game skid have occurred on the road, with the T-wolves allowing an average of 121.0 PPG and losing by an average of 15.0 PPG. It's hard to understand just why Minnesota is 13 games below .500 with stars like Anthony-Towns (24.6 & 12.2) and Wiggins (23.0 & 4.1), as well as LaVine (18.9 ), Rubio (10.2 & 8.9 APG) and Dieng (9.8 & 7.9) plus a number of other solid NBA players. However, as Bill Parcells once famously said, "You are who your record says you are!" The pick: Considering Minnesota is headed out for another three-game road trip after this contest (Minnesota is just 11-23 SU on the road this season),it makes this game almost a "must-win," if the T-wolves have any hopes of staying alive in the race for the No. 8 seed. The Spurs are an outstanding 27-8 SU on the road and shoot 47.3% from the floor (4th), including an NBA-best 39.5% on threes. Minnesota won't stop SA from scoring, so the desperate T-wolves will have to score to win, The Over is an 8* play. |
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03-20-17 | Knicks v. Clippers UNDER 215.5 | Top | 105-114 | Loss | -103 | 15 h 35 m | Show |
The set-up: The 27-42 NY Knicks clinched the franchise's fourth straight losing season with last Thursday's 121-110 home loss to the NBA-worst Brooklyn Nets. They have been off since that game but open a four-game road trip Monday night in LA against the Clippers. The 41-29 Clippers have been battling the Jazz for the No. 4 seed in the West (currently sit two games back of Utah) but LA now has to also worry about the fighting off the OKC Thunder, who have closed withing a half-game of the Clippers for the No. 5 seed by winning five in a row. NY Knicks: New York head coach Jeff Hornacek insists that he is still trying to win games and All-Star Carmelo Anthony (22.9 & 6.0) is still logging heavy minutes. However, the losses keep piling up. The Knicks have lost four of their last five games and Kristaps Porzingis (18.0 & 7.2) opens the road trip listed as day-to-day due to a thigh contusion, although Newsday says he is expected to play (he practiced Sunday). The Knicks are just 11-24 SU on the road but a more respectable 16-19 ATS. LA Clippers: The Clippers had lost three in a row before the Cavs 'handed' them a 108-78 win Saturday night, resting LBJ, Irving and Love. "I'd like to thank (Cleveland coach) Ty Lue," Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told reporters after the win. "That was very nice of him tonight."The problem is, this sort of thing is beginning to wear thin. The Clippers are just 6-8 since the All-Star break, so getting a home game against the Knicks is a welcome sight. Los Angeles has won nine in a row over the Knicks, including the last four meetings at Staples Center. The pick: This over/under number is fairly high considering the Clippers are allowing just 100.8 PPG at home this season. Let's also note that excluding the Knicks' two games against the Nets in their last five, they've scored 93, 92 and 87 points in the other three contests. The Under is a 10* play. |
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03-18-17 | Spurs v. Grizzlies OVER 197.5 | Top | 96-104 | Win | 100 | 13 h 56 m | Show |
analysis by 12 pm et |
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03-17-17 | Troy State v. Duke OVER 153 | Top | 65-87 | Loss | -110 | 77 h 42 m | Show |
analysis soon |
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03-15-17 | Lakers v. Rockets UNDER 235 | Top | 100-139 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 51 m | Show |
The set-up: The 20-47 LA Lakers got routed 129-101 in Denver on Monday, which followed the team's surprising 122-110 win in Phoenix plus a tough, two-point home loss to the 76ers. LA is two games back of Phoenix (with 15 games remaining), for the West's worst record. The 46-21 Rockets won't catch the Warriors or Spurs but are four games ahead of the Jazz, holding down the West's No. 3 seed. LA Lakers: Head coach Luke Walton is experimenting with the lineups and started Jordan Clarkson (14.6) at point guard ahead of D'Angelo Russell (15.8 & 4.8 APG) against the Nuggets. Clarkson scored 19 points against the Nuggets and is averaging 20.7 points over the past six games. The Lakers are mots interested down the stretch, not so much with winning, but in evaluating which players they want to keep as they move forward with Magic most-likely making all the key personnel decisions. Rookie center Ivica Zubac (6.9 & 4.1) also received extended playing time against Denver, and had a career-best 25 points (on 12-of-15 shooting) to go with 11 rebounds. Houston: The Rockets have to be feeling great about themselves after outplaying the defending NBA champions on Sunday. James Harden (29.1-7.9-11.2) had 38 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his 16th triple-double of the campaign in the 117-112 home win over the Cavs. "It's a big win for us, especially because we're down the stretch and it's time to begin preparing ourselves for postseason," Harden told reporters. "Big win against the defending champs." The pick: The Lakers were 10-10 entering December but then lost 12 of 13 games. They have won consecutive games only once since and arrive in Houston having lost 10 of 11 games. The Lakers are the first of five consecutive games for Houston against teams with losing records, so Houston can be expected to secure its place as the West's No. 3 seed. However, don't expect a track meet. The Under is a 10* play with this high total. |
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03-13-17 | Bucks v. Grizzlies UNDER 200.5 | Top | 93-113 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 52 m | Show |
The set-up: The 32-33 Milwaukee Bucks have won six in a row and now own the East's 8th and final playoff spot as they visit Memphis on Monday, squaring off against the 36-30 Grizzlies. Memphis is headed in the opposite direction of Milwaukee, having lost five in a row to fall to 7th in the Western Conference standings. |
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03-13-17 | Jets v. Predators UNDER 6 | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -108 | 12 h 52 m | Show |
The set-up: The 30-33-6 Winnipeg Jets have lost three in a row and now find themselves nine points out of the final wild-card spot in the West, currently held by the Blues, with just 13 games remaining (note: Blues also have two games in hand!). The 33-24-11 Nashville Predators notched a 3-1 victory at San Jose on Saturday, earning four points in a three-game West Coast road swing. The Predators have earned points in nine of their last 11 games and sit third in the Central Division (77 points) as they return home to host the Jets on Monday. Winnipeg: The Jets' season is just about history, as they were able to earn only four points during a six-game homestand (2-4-0). Winnipeg now plays five of its next seven away from home. Winnipeg allows 3.16 goals per game (27th of 30 teams) and has surrendered 13 goals during its current three-game losing streak. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck continues to struggle, allowing eight goals on 44 shots over his last two games. Nashville: Saturday's 3-1 victory in San Jose snapped a season-long four-game losing streak and the two points were much needed, as the Predators were off games in which they had picked up "loser" points for shootout and overtime defeats in Anaheim and Los Angeles, respectively. "It was a big win for us," Predators goalie Juuse Saros said of beating the Sharks. "It's always tough to come to the west coast and (they're) always a hard opponent, but we played a really smart game today." Saros started in place of Pekka Rinne and made 25 stops to get the victory. The pick: The Jets saw their slim Western Conference playoff chances take a major hit last week at home, so I don't expect much from them here on the road. In contrast, the Predators appear to have a good chance to earn more points and help their playoff chances Monday night with this home date against the struggling Jets in Bridgestone Arena. Considering it's Nashville's only home game in a six-game span, intensity should be high. Pekka Rinne is expected to return to the net Monday night in search of his second win this season over Winnipeg (gave up just one goal back on Nov. 25). The Under is a 10* play. |
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03-12-17 | Rangers v. Red Wings UNDER 5.5 | Top | 4-1 | Win | 100 | 16 h 3 m | Show |
The set-up: The 43-23-2 New York Rangers lead the Eastern Conference wild-card standings by a wide margin, so the news that goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will miss two-to-three weeks with a strained hip muscle is not all that bad. Antti Raanta takes over the No. 1 role in net and except for wins, his numbers are better than Lundqvist's. Raanta is 13-6-0 with a 2.32 goals-against average and .922 save percentage, while Lundqvist is 30-19-2, 2.65 GAA and .913 save percentage. New York completes a four-game road trip Sunday, playing at the 26-29-11 Detroit Red Wings, NY Rangers: “I don’t try to be Hank, I just try to be myself,” Raanta told reporters. “I know that every time when I play, it’s always a big thing for me to show what I can do. That’s what I try to do right now.”Raanta is well-aware that the Rangers own the NHL's best road record at 24-9-0 and his career numbers are solid. Raanta is 44-21-7 with a 2.34 GAA and a .917 save percentage in 87 career contests (71 starts). Detroit: The Red Wings have been to the playoffs in each of the previous 25 seasons but that streak will end this year. However, Detroit is coming off perhaps its best game of the season. Jimmy Howard returned to make 24 saves in Friday's 4-2 victory over Chicago, his first game since sustaining a knee injury on Dec. 20. "I was a little jumpy at first. I think it was the nerves. But I was able to settle down,'' Howard told reporters. "As soon as I had some pucks stick to me the last minute of the first period, I felt more and more at home out there." Captain Henrik Zetterberg (team bests of 55 points and 41 assists) recorded a pair of assists Friday for his sixth two-point performance in the last nine contests and has registered at least one point in eight games during that span. The pick: The Rangers have been one of the league's highest scoring teams all year but lately, New York has scored more than three goals in just two of its last 13 games. Detroit averages just 2.39 GPG (ranks 26th of 30 teams), so the under is a 10* play in this one. |
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03-11-17 | Wizards v. Blazers UNDER 224.5 | Top | 125-124 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: The Washington Wizards needed OT to get past the Kings last night (130-122) and now head to Portland for a game with the Trail Blazers. The Wizards are 24-6 their last 30 and just passed the Celtics (by percentage points) for the East' second-best record (40-24 to 41-25). The Blazers are 28-35, just one game back of the Nuggets for the West's final playoff spot. Washington: The Wizards overcame a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit against the Kings and have now won 10 of their last 12 road games. Washington is 3-0 on its current five-game road trip and will wrap up its trek at Minnesota on the 13th. Washington's starting-five has carried the team all season but Washington was sorely lacking an offensive spark off the bench. It seems pretty obvious now, that the addition of Bojan Bogdanovic has solved that problem. The former-Net has averaged 16.6 PPG in his nine games with Washington, connecting on 50.5 percent from the floor, including a blistering 48.9% on threes! Portland: The Blazers also know more than a little about a trade deadline addition. The team's recent four-game winning streak has been fueled by the presence of newcomer Jusuf Nurkic, who has averaged 20.0 & 11.5 in that span. The 7-foot center Nurkic is averaging 16.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in eight games since being acquired from Denver and he is giving Portland the strong interior play it was lacking most of the season. As always, Portland can rely on the NBA's highest-scoring backcourt duo of Lillard (25.9-5.0-5.9) and McCollum (23.3). The pick: The Wizards have to be a little tired after last night's game and with Portland also in the playoff hunt, this game has a "postseason feel." The Under is is an 8* play. |
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03-11-17 | Wolves v. Bucks OVER 202 | Top | 95-102 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: The Timberwolves held on to edge the Warriors 103-102 last night and now travel to Milwaukee Saturday night to take on the Bucks. Minnesota has won six of eight and is coming off perhaps its best victory of the season. Andrew Wiggins (23.2 & 4.1) and Karl-Anthony Towns (24.1 & 12.2) combined for 47 points and Minnesota survived a late rally by the Warriors to stay within striking distance for a playoff spot in the West. As for Milwaukee, the Bucks beat the Pacers 99-85 last night, giving them five straight wins for their best run since a five-gamer early in 2015. Minnesota: Most observers thought that with Tom Thibodeau coming in as the team's head coach, the youthful but very talented T-wolves were a near-lock to be a playoff team in 2016-17. He was expected to improve the team's defense and with Towns, Wiggins and LaVine all capable of averaging 20 points, Minnesota was a team on the rise. However, that hasn't been the case but lately, we've seen a change. Minnesota has won six of eight and of significant note has been the team allowing just 89.1 PPG over its last six victories. PG Ricky Rubio was rumored to be moved by the trade deadline but in the win over Golden St, he scored 17 points and had 13 assists. He has now handed out at least 10 assists in nine of his last 11 games. Milwaukee. Most felt Milwaukee was 'done' after Jabari Parker (20.1 & 6.1) was lost for t sheason. However, since he went down in a Feb. 4th game, the Bucks have not folded. The team's first game without Parker was a home loss to the Lakers (Feb. 8) but the team is 9-3 SU (8-4 ATS) in its 12 games, since. Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.3-8.7-5.5) is a bonafide superstar and the return to health of last year's leading scorer, Khris Middleton (18.2 LY), has been huge. Middleton has averaged 14.6 PPG in his 12 games back, including 19.0 in the team's five-game winning streak. The pick: I realize Minnesota has stepped up its defense but off the upset of the Warriors, I look for this game to be much higher scoring than the number indicates. The Over is a 10* play. |
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03-10-17 | Nets v. Mavs OVER 212.5 | Top | 96-105 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 51 m | Show |
The set-up: The sad-sack Brooklyn Nets own the league's worst overall record at 11-52, as well as its worst road record (4-28). They will be in Dallas tonight to take on the 27-36 Mavericks who seemingly have no interest in the lottery and is looking to sneak into the Western Conference playoffs, even though the team's first round matchup (as the 8-seed) would come against either the Warriors or the Spurs. Brooklyn: PG Jeremy Lin's hamstring has finally healed and he's been back for seven games. He's averaging 13.6 & 5.0 APG on the season and 17.3 points over the past three games.. The recent trade of Bojan Bogdanovic to the Washington Wizards has seen shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick's (13.6) role increase and he scored 27 points against the Hawks in Wednesday's 110-105 loss, giving 20 or more in a personal-best three consecutive games. Brooklyn concludes its annual "Circus Trip" (note: the Big East Tourney is also occupying Barclays Center this weekend) in Dallas, with the Nets having gone 2-5 so far, which is about as good as the team could expect. Dallas: The Mavericks seem intent on making a final push for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoff spot. The Nets and the Suns conclude a five-game homestand in which Dallas has won the first three, so its safe to say that the Mavs have their sights set on a 5-0 homestand! Dirk Nowitzki (30,005) became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points during Tuesday's 122-111 victory over the LA Lakers, so with that milestone out of the way, Dallas can focus strictly on its playoff push. Nowitzki owns modest season averages of 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds and is no longer capable of carrying the team. However, he has registered back-to-back double-doubles and three in the past four games. SG Wesley Matthews (14.9) looked recovered from his hip injury with 15 points on five three-pointers against the Lakers, plus Seth Curry and Yogi Farrell have developed into valuable backcourt pieces, complementing Barea 12.2 & 4.9 APG). Curry (12.9) is 18-of-34 from three-point range while averaging 22.8 points over the past five games, while Farrell has a new multi-year deal (no more 10-day contracts), after averaging 12.4 PPG and 5.1 APG in his 17 games with Dallas. Nerlens Noel (10.0 & 8.5 in six games) has been a valuable trade addition (from Philly) plus Harrison Barnes (20.0 & 5.2) qualifies as a 'steal' from last year's off-season FA market. The pick: Dallas ranks 30th (98.3 PPG) in scoring but I played them "over" when the Mavs hosted the Lakers (a poor defensive team) on Tuesday and the final was 122-111. The Nets rank dead-last in points allowed at 114.7 PPG, so again, it's an 8* play on the Over. |
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03-10-17 | Sabres v. Blue Jackets OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 118 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
The set-up: The 27-28-12 Buffalo Sabres are 13th in the Eastern Conference standings and have all but been eliminated from the playoff picture following three straight losses and seven defeats in their last eight games (1-5-2). Meanwhile, the 42-17-7 Columbus Blue Jackets are embroiled in a three-team battle for second place in the Metropolitan Division but they also remain in striking distance of NHL-leading Washington with 17 games remaining in the regular season. Buffalo: The Sabres have just 66 points and that leaves them nine points back of the final wild card spot (New York Islanders) plus there a four teams ahead of them. Making up ground in the postseason race will be daunting task for Buffalo, as after this home-and-home against Columbus, teh Sabres head out for a four-game road trip starting on the West Coast. Columbus: The Blue Jackets have 90 points (so do the Pens) plus the Rangers are lurking with 88. However, Columbus hasn't given up hopes of catching the Caps, who with 95 points, are the NHL's top team. Back-to-back games against the Sabres gives Columbus a chance to climb up the standings. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has registered three straight shutouts, including blanking the Devils twice. He is within 19 minutes, 28 seconds of tying Steve Mason's franchise record (199:28) for the longest scoreless streak. The pick: At first blush, the under seems to be the play but Buffalo has allowed at least three goals in seven of its last eight contest, allowing 4.13 goals per game during that stretch. Columbus averages 3.26 goals at home, so I expect the Blue Jackets to get four or more goals here, making the Over a 10* play. |
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03-08-17 | Knicks v. Bucks UNDER 211.5 | Top | 93-104 | Win | 100 | 11 h 36 m | Show |
The set-up: The 26-38 NY Knicks come to Milwaukee off a 113-105 win at Orlando but considering the fact that they are currently 12th in the East, 5 1/2 games back of the final playoff spot, they are likely jockeying more for ping pong balls than postseason positioning. The 29-33 Milwaukee Bucks have pulled out of a lengthy funk that saw them drop out of playoff contention by winning three in a row and seven of their last 10. Milwaukee is now just 1 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, who occupy the final two spots in the East playoff race. NY Knicks: The Kicks beat the Magic with Carmelo Anthony sitting out to rest a sore left knee. The 32-year-old small forward played 35 minutes in Sunday's loss to the Golden State Warriors but failed to reach 20 points in any of his last three games. One has to list this victory as a surprise, as the Knicks had lost 12 straight games without Anthony in the lineup. Anthony (23.2 & 6.0) is expected to play tonight. New York is trying to figure out which pieces it wants to keep in moving forward. The backcourt duo of Chasson Randle and Justin Holiday came off the bench on Monday and got a long look. Randle was signed after the Knicks waived veteran Brandon Jennings and he logged a career-high 26 minutes in the win and delivered seven points, five rebounds, five assists and no turnovers. Holiday, who has bounced in and out of the rotation this season, knocked down a pair of three-pointers and finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 25 minutes. Milwaukee: Losing Jabari Parker (20.1 & 6.1) for the season was a huge blow but the Bucks are 'dealing,' as of late. All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.2-8.6-5.4) is 25-of-39 (64.1%) from the floor in the three contests plus the Bucks are happy to finally have last year's leading scorer,Khris Middleton (18.2 PPG last season), back in the lineup at shooting guard. He is averaging 19.3 points in four games this month. Malcolm Brogdon will remain in the starting lineup Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks kick off a three-game homestand, tonight. He leads all first-year players with a 42.8 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc (that's seventh overall in the league) and is averaging 10.0 points and 4.1 assists, putting him third and first, respectively, among rookies. The pick: There is optimism in Milwaukee and with good reason. The Bucks are in 10th place, 1 1/2 games behind Chicago for the eighth and final spot but only 2 1/2 games out of sixth place in the league. With three straight games at home, the Bucks have a chance to make a move. Bucks show more than a little defensive intensity in this one and the Under is an 8* play. |
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03-08-17 | Georgetown v. St. John's UNDER 153.5 | Top | 73-74 | Win | 100 | 9 h 28 m | Show |
The set-up: The 14-17 Georgetown Hoyas went 5-13 in Big East games this season and as the 9th seed will play the 13-18 St. John's Red Storm, who are the 8th seed, after going 7-11. Remember the days when a Georgetown-St. John's matchup (Big John vs, Louie) was a big deal? Georgetown: The Hoyas closed the regular season with a 26-point home loss to Villanova (the team's fifth in a row!), a game in which Georgetown shot 36.2 percent, including 4-of-15 from beyond the arc. Let's not mention the 20 turnovers! The Hoyas would now need a miracle to avoid a second straight sub-.500 record (Hoyas were 15-18 last season). Embattled head coach John Thompson III said in a recent statement to ESPN.com, "First and foremost, our fans are terrific and have been terrific. They've experienced some good times with us, and now, with the stretch we are having, I understand their frustration. There is no one more frustrated than I am. We are accustomed to winning. I know that our players and staff are working hard and playing hard. No one cares more about this program and tradition than I do." A pair of 6-5 seniors have really been the only players Georgetown has been able to count on this season. Pryor (18.1 & 5.0) is a graduate transfer from Robert Morris and Peak (16.0-3.8-3.5) is capping his best season, after a four years at the school. St. John's: The Red Storm enter having lost four of five, with their only win in that span being a six-point home victory over Georgetown (Hoyas won by 26 points in D.C.) St. John's has allowed at least 80 points in five straight games and ranks 305th nationally in points allowed (78.0) entering Tuesday's contest. A trio of guards lead Chris Mullins' team, Ponds (17.6 & 4.5), LoVett (16.4 & 3.8 APG) and Ahmed (13.4 & 5.6). The pick: Again, this is no longer the Big John vs. Louis days of competing sweaters (are you too young to remember?) but it's still the Big East tourney and expect a close hard-fought game with the Under being a 10* play. |
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03-07-17 | Lakers v. Mavs OVER 204 | Top | 111-122 | Win | 100 | 12 h 60 m | Show |
The set-up: There seems to be little doubt these days that if the Lakers aren't actually 'tanking,' they are surely not too worried about winning, as LA visits Dallas on a seven-game losing steak and just three wins in their last16. The 19-44 Lakers have fallen two games behind the Suns for the West's worst record. Meanwhile, the 26-36 Dallas Mavericks are one of several teams fighting to earn the No. 8 spot in the West (Mavs are currently 2 1/2 games out). LA Lakers: The Lakers traded leading scorer Lou Williams (was averaging 18.6 PPG) and the word is that Magic Johnson's No. 1 priority these days is trying to determine if youngsters D'Angelo Russell (14.9-3.7-4.8), Julius Randle (12.8 & 8.4) and Brandon Ingram (8.2 & 4.1) are the building blocks of the future. Priority No. 2 (or maybe it's No. 1?) is for LA to give itself the best chance possible of keeping its 2017 No.1 draft pick. The pick is top-three protected, meaning LA keeps it if the Lakers pick one, two or three, but loses it if it's not a top-three selection. Bottom line is, the more ping pong balls LA has in the lottery, the better chance it has of securing a top-three pick. Simply put, finishing with the West's worst record, is a means to that end. Dallas: The Mavs seem to be thriving these days. Dirk (13.6 & 6.6) is healthy and has said he'll play again next season plus the 24-year-old Harrison Barnes (20.1 & 5.1) has proven to be a shrewd FA pick-up. Throw in low-cost pickups like Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell, who now form the new starting backcourt, and the Mavs have "gone small" with ever-improving results. Dallas is 15-9 since moving Curry into the starting lineup and Steph's younger brother is carving out his own identity by scoring 20 or more points in four straight games and five of the last six (he's averaged 16.8 PPG the last 24 games). Farrell, originally signed to a 10-day contract, has averaged 12.2 PPG and 4.9 APG in 16 games with the Mavs, plus PF Nerlens Noel is shooting 63.6 percent from the floor in five games since joining the team at the trade deadline from Philly, averaging 9.8 & 8.0. The pick: The Mavs are rolling but laying double digits is something new for this year's edition (Mavs opened as a 10-point favorite, with its previous high being as a 7 1/2-point choice over Philly back on Feb. 1). That said, while the Mavs are not a high scoring team (97.9 PPG rank 30th), scoring against LA should come more easily. LA allows 110.8 PPG (27th) and that number goes up to 112.9 PPG on the road. The Over is a 10* play. |
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03-05-17 | Thunder v. Mavs UNDER 204.5 | Top | 89-104 | Win | 100 | 18 h 22 m | Show |
The set-up: The 35-27 OKC Thunder continue to get great performances out of Russell Westbrook but they will take a six-game road losing streak into tonight's game in Dallas. Meanwhile, the Mavs have won three of four after a 104-100 victory over Memphis at home Friday night, leaving them at 25-36, which is 2 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City: Westbrook became the ninth player in NBA history to record four straight 40-point games Friday, when he scored 48 points against the Suns. However, the Thunder lost 118-111 at Phoenix. "We just put ourselves in a hole, man, not getting stops when we needed to, and obviously not finishing the game like we wanted to,"said Westbrook. It's become a common theme. Westbrook (31.7-10.7-10.1) may join the Big O as the only players to average a triple-double for an entire season (Robertson did so in the 1961-62 season) but to what end? In the game prior to the loss at Phoenix, the Thunder fell in Portland 114-109, as Westbrook had 45 points but the team's other four starters combined for a total of 12 points! Just how will OKC be able to compete in the postseason? Dallas: Newly-acquired big man Nerlens Noel received his first start with the Mavericks and responded with 15 points and a career high-tying 17 rebounds. Won't the Sixers be sorry if Noel plays like that the rest of the way, especially with Embiid out for the rest of the year? The Mavs are 3-1 since Noel suited up. "He is a lot further along than he was four days ago, and even two nights ago," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "He had some things that he just wasn't understanding. ... He is getting there." Barnes (20.1 & 5.1) has turned out to be an excellent FA signing, Dirk (13.5 & 6.5) has been healthy lately plus says he wants to play again next season, plus Seth Curry (12.7) and Yogi Farrell (12.5 & 5.1 APG) are making impacts in the backcourt. For one, Curry is averaging 23.6 points while shooting 54.5 percent from three-point range over the last five games! The pick: As noted, the Thunder have lost six straight on the road and the "Russell Westbrook Show" continues tonight in Dallas. The Mavs seem rejuvenated and are playing hard. I expect they'll be at their best here vs Westbrook and Dallas is allowing just 99.8 PPG, to rank 3rd in the league. However, the team's offense produces only 97.8 PPG, which ranks dead-last (30th). The Under is a 10* play. |
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03-05-17 | Blues v. Avalanche UNDER 5 | Top | 3-0 | Win | 118 | 18 h 43 m | Show |
The set-up: The 31-27-5 St. Louis Blues have fallen out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference thanks to a five-game losing streak. However, they should be able to pick up a win tonight in Colorado, where they will take on the NHL's worst team. The Avalanche are 17-43-3 on the season and the team's 37 points are 16 points fewer than the league's next-worst team, the Arizona Coyotes. St. Louis: The Blues enter Sunday just one point behind the Kings for the West's final wild card spot, so it's not like it's time to panic. However, the Blues have to find a way to get the puck into an opponents net. St. Louis has totaled a woeful six goals during their five-game slide. Vladimir Tarasenko leads the Blues with 28 goals but has neither a goal nor an assist in any of his last four games. This current slump has come out of nowhere, as the Blues were riding a five-game winning streak in February before three one-goal losses highlighted the recent slide. Colorado: Saturday's 6-1 loss in Winnipeg means the Avs have lost 15 of their last 16 contests. Colorado is back at home tonight and will be playing its first home game since trading icon Jarome Iginla to Los Angeles. GM Joe Sakic didn't trade any of the team's core players, although there was interest in Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog. The fact that they could still be dealt in the offseason could weigh on their minds -- and the rest of the team -- in the final month of the season. Bootom line is this...The Avs are a mess! The pick: Colorado ranks last in goals allowed at 3.29 per game but also ranks last in goal scored (1.97 per). The 6-1 loss at Winnipeg continued a familiar theme, as the Avs have now scored fewer than three goals in 12 of their last 13 games. With the Blues having scored just six goals over their last five games (all losses), the Under is a 10* play. |
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03-05-17 | Cincinnati v. Connecticut OVER 126.5 | Top | 67-47 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 56 m | Show |
The set-up: The No. 18 Cincinnati Bearcats cap a terrific regular season with this game at UConn. Cincinnati is 26-4 (15-2 in AAC games) and was expected to be fighting for the league title but so was and Connecticut (at least according to preseason expectations) but instead, the Huskies limp into this game 14-15 overall, including 9-8 in AAC play. The pick: It's Senior Day for UConn and before losing at home to Cincy last year, the Huskies had won four straight home games vs. the Bearcats. Cincy's defense always keeps these over/under numbers low and I believe the Over is worth a 10* play in this one. |
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03-04-17 | Clippers v. Bulls OVER 210.5 | Top | 101-91 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 27 m | Show |
The set-up: The 36-24 LA Clippers have not been helped by the return of PG Chris Paul. The All Star PG has averaged 17.3 PPG and 9.5 APG (he averages 17.5 & 9.7 on the year) since returning to the court four games ago from a thumb injury. However, LA is just 1-3 in that span (team has lost four of its last five). There were serious rumors that All-Star Jimmy Butler was about to be dealt before the trade deadline, as it looked as though the Bulls were fading out of playoff contention. However, Chicago has beaten Toronto, Boston, Cleveland and Golden State during a 5-1 surge that has Chicago in a tie for sixth in the East. |
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03-04-17 | Avalanche v. Jets OVER 6 | Top | 1-6 | Win | 105 | 11 h 57 m | Show |
The set-up: The 28-30-6 Winnipeg Jets opened a six-game homestand with a Tuesday loss to the Wild but rebounded last night with a 3-0 win over the Blues. The victory (and its two points) allowed them to close within four points of the Kings for the second wild card spot in the West. The 17-42-3 Colorado Avalanche are up next for Winnipeg, owners of the NHL's worst record (37 points). Colorado: The Avs easily own the NHL's worst record as their 37 points are 16 shy of the NHL's second-worst team, the Arizona Coyotes (53 points). Colorado has struggled mightily on the road lately, losing 14 of its last 15, with the only win coming in overtime at Carolina back on Feb. 17. Calvin Pickard will be in net Saturday as he makes the second start of his career in his hometown. He was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, but grew up in Winnipeg. He took the loss back on Dec. 18, as Winnipeg won 4-1. Winnipeg: Blake Wheeler recorded two goals and an assist while goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 29 saves en route to his fourth shutout of the season and the sixth of his career in last night's 3-0 win over the Blues. Considering its position, every game on this homestand figures to be (or will at least feel like) a "must win" situation for the Jets. It's good news that Winnipeg welcomed three players back to the lineup Friday, as Andrew Copp (upper body) and Marko Dano (ankle) returned from injuries while defenseman Jacob Trouba came back after serving a two-game suspension. The pick: In beating the Blues 3-0 last night, Winnipeg has scored at least three goals in each of its last six contests. The Jets average 3.13 goals at home and allow 3.06. Scoring against the Avs shouldn't be too hard, as Colorado's 3.29 GPG average ranks dead-last in the NHL. The Jets 'drag' this total over, making it a 10* selection. |
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03-04-17 | Notre Dame v. Louisville OVER 146 | Top | 64-71 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 50 m | Show |
The set-up: No. 19 Notre Dame and No. 8 Louisville are both 23-7 but it's the Fighting Irish (at 12-5) who sit one game back of the 13-4 first-place Tar Heels in the ACC. The Cardinals are 11-6, along with Duke and Florida State. Notre Dame has won the last three meetings between the former Big East rivals, including a 77-70 win on Jan. 4 in South Bend that gave Louisville its first 0-2 start in conference play since 1991-92. Louisville: Rick Pitino teams always play good defense and this year's group is no exception. The Cardinals allow just 65.4 PPG (39th) on 39.4% shooting (13th). However, Louisville can score as well, averaging 77.8 PPG on the season and here at home, where they are 15-1, Louisville averages 81.9 PPG. Guards Mitchell (15.8 & 4.7) and Snider (12.5 & 4.0 APG) plus 6-7 swingman Adel (11.8 & 4.5) are the team's double digit scorers. |
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03-03-17 | Blues v. Jets UNDER 5.5 | Top | 0-3 | Win | 105 | 11 h 18 m | Show |
The set-up: The 31-26-5 St. Louis Blues are in Winnipeg Friday night to face the 28-30-6 Jets. Neither team is currently in playoff position, although the Blues (67 points) are in better shape than the Jets (62). The Kings currently won the final wild card spot in the West with 68 points.
St. Louis: The Blues lost 2-1 at home Tuesday to Edmonton, falling for a fourth straight time. One doesn't have to look too closely to identify the problem, as St. Louis has scored just six goals in its four-game skid. St. Louis has been strong on special teams all season, ranking sixth in the NHL in power play (22 percent) and eighth in penalty killing (84 percent). However, since defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk made it clear he would not sign an extension with the Blues after the season, they traded him to Washington on Monday. In Shattenkirk, St. Louis lost a player who led the team with 31 assists and was second with 42 points. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko is one of the top scorers in the league with 28 points and 28 assists but has gone without a point in three games.Winnipeg: While the Blues are in a funk, the Jets had earned points in five consecutive games (3-0-2) entering a week-long break. However, they fell behind by three goals Tuesday at home to Minnesota before rallying to tie. But in the end, they lost 6-5. The Jets are a modest 14-15-1 at home on the season but have five games remaining on this current six-game homestand. To have any chance to get back in the playoff race, the Jets will need to play well in these next five games! The pick: Winnipeg is a poor defensive team overall (3.19 GPG ranks 27th in the NHL) but the Blues are in a deep scoring funk. The Under is a 10* play in this one. |
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03-03-17 | Cavs v. Hawks UNDER 214 | Top | 135-130 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
The set-up: The 41-18 Cavs lost at Boston on Wednesday but still own the East's best record by a margin of three games. They will continue a three-game road trip Friday night in Atlanta when the take on the 34-26 Hawks, who will play the second of of a six-game homestand. The Hawks and Cavs haven't played since Nov. 8, when Atlanta won 110-106 in Cleveland.Cleveland: LBJ was vocal in declaring the Cavs needed help to get where they needed to be (as defending champs) and the front office responded by signing free agent Deron Williams on Feb. 27. Williams averaged 13.1-2.6-6.9 in 40 games with Dallas this season and scored four points in 23 minutes in his Cleveland debut on Wednesday. Cleveland will also shortly add center Andrew Bogut, who signed as a free agent and is likely to join the team in Miami on Saturday. Bogut was averaging 3.0 points and 8.3 rebounds with the Mavericks. "He brings a physicality, a shot-blocking presence, a guy who can pass the ball at the 5 position and that's what we needed," Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue said. Of course, the Cavs still have LBJ (25.7-8.0-8.9) and Kyrie (24.7 & 5.9 APG) plus by playoff time (hopefully?), Kevin Love (20.0 & 11.1).Atlanta: The Hawks currently sit fifth in the East, 1 1/2 games behind No. 4 seed Toronto and 7 1/2 games back of top-seeded Cleveland. Atlanta is hoping (expecting?) that this extended string of home games (six in a row) will allow them to improve its standing in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks got off on the right foot with a 100-95 Wednesday win over the Mavs, although it was hardly an impressive effort. Clearly, the Cavs will be a much tougher assignment. The Hawks traded Korver to the Cavs and Tim Hardaway Jr. has the biggest beneficiary in the wake of Korver's departure. He had a modest 10 points on Wednesday (although he did nail a key three-pointer late in the 100-95 win) and has now reached double digits in 15 straight games. The Hawks also made a trade deadline move, bringing in veteran power forward Ersan Ilyasova (14.8 & 5.9 in 53 games with Phily), who went 4-of-4 from three-point range on Wednesday and finished with 18 points.
The pick: The Hawks have played more unders (16) than overs (13) at home this season and this game should have a 'playoff feel,' which favors the under. Make the Under an 8* play. |
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03-02-17 | Islanders v. Stars UNDER 6 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -113 | 12 h 47 m | Show |
The set-up: The 29-22-10 NY Islanders are back on the ice for the first time since last Saturday, a 7-0 loss at Columbus. They will be in Dallas tonight to take on the 25-28-10 Stars. Dallas has won three of its last four games, including Tuesday's 3-2 triumph versus Pittsburgh, which opened a five-game homestand.NY Islanders: The Doug Weight era began with the Islanders 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars back on Jan. 19, which ignited a 12-4-2 run before but then came that disastrous 7-0 shellacking by Columbus. However, with five days off to lick their wounds, the Islanders should be primed to continue their quest of getting into playoff position, as they currently reside jutstone point behind Toronto for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Dallas: The Stars face a much tougher climb up the playoff 'ladder,' as they sit seven points behind St. Louis for the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference. Dallas has shuffled its roster, trading forward Patrick Eaves (Anaheim) plus defensemen Jordie Benn (Montreal) and Johnny Oduya (Chicago) in a five-day stretch prior to sending forward Lauri Korpikoski to Columbus on Wednesday,. However, veteran forward Ales Hemsky, who has missed the entire season following hip surgery, has been cleared to play.
The pick: The Islanders are currently 2-1-0 through the first three games of their nine-game road trip but are just 9-14-4 on the road on the season. Meanwhile, Dallas is 18-10-6 in its building on the season. Then again, the Islanders are 11-2-3 against Western Conference opponents this year. It was 3-0 in the first meeting and I'll take that final again (who cares which team wins?). The Under is a 10* play with this high total. |
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03-01-17 | Cavs v. Celtics OVER 222 | Top | 99-103 | Loss | -107 | 11 h 60 m | Show |
The set-up: The 41-17 Cleveland Cavaliers are four games up on the 38-22 Boston Celtics in the race for the East's No. 1 seed. The two teams meet tonight in Boston, when the Celtics get a chance to prove they can beat the conference's best team: Cleveland: The Cavaliers fell at home to Chicago on Saturday with LBJ sitting out but looked more like the defending champs in Monday's 102-95 win over the Bucks. James challenged his front office to add players when the team was struggling in January and PG Deron Williams was signed on Monday after being waived by the Dallas Mavericks (Williams 13.1 points and 6.9 assists in 40 games). The Cavs continued to add to their roster, as center Andrew Bogut will join the team later this week after he clears waivers. Boston: After a 114-98 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, the Celtics have lost three of four (no way to try to catch the Cavs!). Isaiah Thomas (29.6 & 6.2 APG) struggled with a 4 of 21 shooting performance and finished with 19 points. It ended his franchise-record streak of 20-point games at 43. There was good news though, as SG Avery Bradley (Achilles) returned from an 18-game absence on Monday and scored six points in 15 minutes (he averages 17.4 PPG and 6.7 RPG on the season). The pick: The Celtics have lost twice to the Cavs this season, although both games were in Cleveland. Boston has not been able to contain LBJ and Co, as the Cavs have averaged 126.0 PPG in those two contests. If the Celtics can't beat the Cavs here, just when will they be able to? After tonight's game, the Celtics head out for a five-game West Coast trip that includes stops at Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers. For Boston to win, the Celtics will likely need to outscore the Cavs and I'm making the Over a 10* play. |
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03-01-17 | Arkansas v. Florida OVER 154.5 | Top | 65-78 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 56 m | Show |
The set-up: The No. 12 Florida Gators (23-6 / 13-3 SEC) saw their nine-game winning streak end Saturday in Rupp Arena against the Wildcats and now get set host the 22-7 Arkanasa Razorbacks, who have won five in a row to up their SEC record to 11-5. Arkansas: The Razorbacks' recent surge has solidified their NCAA at-large status but winning at Florida will not come easy, considering Arkansas has lost 11 straight in Gainesville dating to the 1994-95 season. Head coach Mike Anderson relishes the change in fortune and wasn't shy about pointing it out during Monday's media availability session."It's funny because two weeks ago, everybody and some of you guys in here and across the country had us in the cemetery," Anderson said. "They had us dead and I remember making a statement that all sickness is not death. They actually had us buried but as I said all sickness is not death." Guards Hannahs (14.7), Macon (13.7) and Barford (12.2) plus the 6-10 Kingsley (11.8 & 7.1) are the team's top players, as the Razorbacks average 81.0 PPG. Florida. The Gators held Kentucky in check overall (Wildcats scored a modest 76 points) but they couldn't contain Malik Monk, who scored 33 points (30 in the second half). The Gators can match Arkansas' backcourt with starters Allen (14.0) and PG Hill (9.5 & 4.8 APG) plus Barry contributes 12.3 PPG off the bench. The 6-8 Devin Robinson (11.1 & 6.0) has had to pick up his production with John Egbunu (7.8 & 6.5) out for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. The pick: Florida allows just 66.2 PPG and only two teams have surpassed their season-average in points when playing Florida but I believe this over/under number is low enough to make the Over a 10* play in this one. |
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02-28-17 | Hornets v. Lakers OVER 216 | Top | 109-104 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 12 m | Show |
The set-up: The LA Lakers are 19-41 after 60 games, not bad considering the team won just 17 all of last season. However, they currently look more like a team angling for a better draft position, with three straight losses by at least 17 points and four consecutive setbacks, overall. They get set to host the 25-34 Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, who still harbor hopes of getting into the Eastern Conference's playoff field. Charlotte currently sits 3 1/2 games back of the 8th spot, although the Hornets will have to climb over both Milwaukee and Miami before trying to catch Detroit. Charlotte: The Hornets opened the season winning eight of their first 11 games but they have not come close to playing that well since. Charlotte is currently on a seven-game road trip and fell to 1-3 on the excursion with Sunday's 124-121 OT loss here in Staples to the Clippers. That OT loss hurt, because the team's 99-85 win at Sacramento the previous night was an encouraging performance. All-Star PG Kemba Walker (22.7-4.1-5.4) is doing his best to keep Charlotte in the race. He posted his second 34-point effort in three games since the All-Star break on Sunday. However, the Hornets are still awaiting the return of starting center Cody Zeller, who remains day-to-day with a quad injury and has sat out 13 of the last 14 games. Zeller averages 10.8 PPG and 6.5 RPG but is it just a coincidence that the Hornets are 2-11 in the 13 games he's missed these last 14 or that when he's not played this year, Charlotte is just 3-17? LA Lakers: Magic is now in charge of basketball operations but I'm not sure how sending the team's leading scorer (Lou Williams at 18.6 PPG) to Houston for Corey Brewer does much to help. Word is that the main thing Johnson will be focusing on the rest of the way is whether youngsters Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram are pieces around which the franchise can build. The pick: The Lakers are a poor defensive team, allowing 110.9 PPG (27th) on 48.0% shooting (29th). That doesn't figure to change the rest of the season and I look for Charlotte to play a second straight high-scoring game here at Staples Center, following Sunday's 124-121 OT loss to the Clippers (226 points in regulation). The Over is an 8* play. |
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02-28-17 | Capitals v. Rangers OVER 5.5 | Top | 4-1 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 41 m | Show |
The set-up: The Washington Capitals led the league in points in 2015-16 and are setting the pace once again this season with 89 points (41-13-7). However, the Caps' postseason failures are well-documented and in an effort to change that dynamic, Washington acquired defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk from St. Louis on Monday night. He expects to be in the lineup for Tuesday's matchup at Madison Square Garden against the 40-20-2 New York Rangers. Washington: "We are excited to welcome Kevin to our organization," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said in a statement. "We felt it was important to acquire another defenseman to strengthen and add depth to our blue line. Kevin is a skilled, puck-moving defenseman who we think will help our team at even strength and on the power play." The Capitals had won six in a row heading into their bye but have lost three of five since returning, including a 5-2 road loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday night. NY Rangers: The Rangers have played one more game than the Caps and have seven fewer points. They also are one point behind third-place Columbus in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division. The Rangers were thoroughly dominated by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday afternoon at MSG, losing 5-1 while playing their fifth game in eight days. The good news for New York is that the Rangers have beaten the Caps in both meetings this season. The pick; The Caps rank third in scoring (3.31 GPG) and the Rangers fifth (3.27 GPG), which leads med to making the Over a 10* play., |
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02-27-17 | Kings v. Wild OVER 5 | Top | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 20 h 8 m | Show |
The set-up: The 30-27-4 LA Kings are in Minnesota Monday night to take on the 39-14-6 Wild, who lead not only the Central Division with 84 points but also the entire Western Conference. LA Kings: Los Angeles is battling for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference and climbed within three points of St. Louis with Saturday's 4-1 triumph over Anaheim. The win was extra-sweet due to the fact that the Kings welcomed back Jonathan Quick to the lineup from a groin injury the goaltender suffered in the season opener (Quick made 32 saves). Speaking of the position of goaltender, the Kings have sent goalie Peter Budaj, who started 51 games for Los Angeles this season, to Tampa Bay for Ben Bishop. Bishop is less than two seasons removed from a starring role in leading the Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final. Minnesota: The Wild are returning from their bye week and and will conclude an eight-game homestand in which they've gone 4-2-1 through seven games. Once again speaking of goaltenders, the Wild's Devan Dubnyk is 32-11-3 on the season, posting a 2.01 GAA and .933 save percentage. At first blush, with a Quick/Dubnyk matchup the call seesm like Under. However, the Wild avergae almost 3.4 goals per game at home and remember, Quick just returned to action. The Over is the 10* play. |
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02-27-17 | Hawks v. Celtics OVER 212.5 | Top | 114-98 | Loss | -110 | 20 h 39 m | Show |
The set-up: The 32-26 Atlanta Hawks visit the TD Center Monday night to face the 38-21 Boston Celtics. The Hawks limp in on a three-game slide while the Celtics ended a two-game skid with Sunday's 104-98 win at Detroit. Atlanta: Tbe Hawks have been awful offensively during their current three-game losing streak, averaging only 86.7 PPG. Atlanta's three-game slide is its longest since a seven-gamer from Nov. 25-Dec. 5. Atlanta opened the season 9-2 but has gone 23-24, since. "We don't want to be a .500 team," head coach Mike Budenholzer said Saturday night. "You have to go out on the court and execute on both ends of the court. At the end of the day, if it's 20 games and we are .500 we have to be honest with ourselves and find ways to improve whether it be small things or big things." However, the Hawks are starting to look exactly like a .500 team. PG Dennis Schroder (17.4 & 6.3) returned from a team-imposed one-game suspension to face Orlando on Saturday but he didn't start and finished 4-of-17 from the floor (11 points). Tim Hardaway Jr. (13.1)scored a team-high 15 points but was the only starter to hit at least half of his FG attempts, as Atlanta shot under 40 percent for the second straight time in an 'ugly' 105-86 loss to the sad-sack Magic. Boston: All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas (29.7 & 6.2 APG) scored 33 points in Sunday's win and has now scored at least 20 points in a franchise-record 43 games in a row. Thomas made the game-winning basket with 2.4 seconds left to lift Boston to a 103-101 win back in Atlanta when the teams met for the first time this season (Jan. 13). Ex-Hawk Al Horford signed a FA deal with the Celtics this past off-season and overall (14.2 & 6.6), has had a solid season. However, he was 2-of-11 in the win over Detroit and has been held to single digits in points in three consecutive games for the first time since March 2009. Boston has been without Avery Bradley (17.7 & 6.9) for 22 of the last 23 games because of an Achilles strain but he is getting close to a return. The pick: The Celtics would loved to take advantage of the struggling Atlanta Hawks as after the Hawks leave town the Celtics host Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland (which leads Boston by three games) and then leave for five straight on the road. However, it should be noted that Boston has had trouble holding leads since the break. The Celtics blew a 17-point lead and lost at Toronto in their first game back from the All-Star break on Friday night, then failed to hold a 15-point advantage against the Pistons before winning Sunday. As for the Hawks, after three awful shooting games, I look for a return to normalcy (Atlanta averages 103.2 PPG). Boston averages 109.9 PPG at home, so the Over is a 10* play. |
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02-26-17 | Butler v. Xavier OVER 144.5 | Top | 88-79 | Win | 100 | 7 h 47 m | Show |
The set-up: No one is catching Villanova in the Big East but 22-6 Butler is 11-5 in Big East play and has established itself as the league's second-best team (is currently ranked No.22 in the AP poll). Xavier opened as the AP's seventh-ranked team in the preseason but after a 13-2 start, the Minutemen have lost eight of 13 to enter this game out of the top-25 at 18-10 and just 8-7 in league play. Butler: I guess it's fair to say Butler has established itself as the Big East's second-best team, considering the Bulldogs just won 83-78 at Villanova this past Wednesday. The Bulldogs won despite making only four their 19 three-pointers plus assisted on only six of 23 FGs! Oh, did I fail to mention that Butler also beat the defending champs back on Jan 4th at home, 66-58! A pair of 6-7 players lead Butler in scoring, Martin (15.7 & 5.8), who comes of the bench, and Chrabascz (11.3-4.7-3.1). Six others contribute between 5.4 and 10.0 PPG. Xavier: The Musketeers limp into this contest on a four-game losing streak, as the team is creeping dangerously close to the NCAA Tournament bubble. "We have to get better," Xavier coach Chris Mack said. "We can pinpoint why, but I am more worried about what we have to do to get better. It seems like it has been a long time since we won a game. Our job is not going to get any easier Sunday, but we have to do what we can and fight back and get in the win column." Bluiett (17.8 & 5.7) and Sumner (15.0-4.3-5.) are both 6-6 and Macura (14.5 & 4.4) is 6-5, giving Xavier quite a perimeter trio but lately, the Musketeers just haven't gotten the job done.The pick: A fifth consecutive loss certainly wouldn't look good on Xavier's at-large resume but catching Butler off its win at Villanova may be just what the doctor ordered. However, I'm sticking with the Over as an 8* play, rather than quite trusting Xavier. |
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02-25-17 | Pacers v. Heat OVER 207.5 | Top | 95-113 | Win | 100 | 11 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: The 30-28 Indiana Pacers ended a six-game slide last night with a 102-92 home win over the Grizzlies. It was a much-needed win as the Pacers play at Miami tonight, opening a five-game road trip. The Heat rolled over the Hawks 108-90 in Atlanta last night and return home after winning 15 of their last 17 games to climb within two games of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, after sitting at 11-30 in games played through Jan. 13. Indiana: Trade rumors swirled around Indiana star Paul George (22.0 & 6.2) but he didn't go anywhere. George was off his game last night (nine points on 3 of 12 shooting) but C.J. Miles (10.8) arose from a slump to score 17 points. Second-year PF/C Turner (15.5 & 7.2) has had a terrific season and PG Teague (15.3 & 8.1 APG APG) has lived up to expectations. Excellent news (beside a much-needed win) also came with the return of Thaddeus Young (11.5 & 6.1). He got back on the court after an eight-game absence to provide 10 points (5-7 FG), five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block over 26 minutes. Miami: The Heat beat the Hawks in Atlanta by 18 points, despite poor efforts from their two best players.PG Goran Dragic (20.2 & 6.2 APG) was just 5-of-16 from the floor and center Hassan Whiteside (16.5 & 14.0) was 1-of-9 from the floor and with 2 & 10, went without a double-double for just the second time in nine games. Reserve guard Tyler Johnson (14.0) stepped up with 23 points Friday and is averaging 17.4 over his last five games to add another weapon to an improving offense that has scored at least 100 in 15 straight games. The pick: The Pacers held Memphis to just 92 points but that's the exception, not the rule. During the team's six-game slide, the Pacers had allowed an average of 117.3 PPG, with opponents at least 110 points in all six contests. Throw in the above-noted fact that Miami has reached triple digits in 15 straight games and the Over is an 8* play. |
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02-25-17 | Rangers v. Devils OVER 5 | Top | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 8 h 52 m | Show |
The set-up: The 39-19-2 NY Rangers won 2-1 in Toronto on Thursday, giving them an 8-1-1 record in February. They will take the NHL's best road record (20-8-0) into a late Saturday afternoon game in New Jersey, against the 25-25-10 Devils. NY Rangers: New York's current run has them in third-place (80 points) in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division (Pens have 82 and the Caps 89 points). Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is poised to reach another major milestone, as he needs just one victory to move into a tie with Grant Fuhr for 10th place on the all-time wins list with 403. However, he will have to wait, as Antti Raanta, who blanked the Devils on Dec. 19 to improve to 3-0-0 against them, will get the nod Saturday (note: Lundqvist has more wins with 35 and shutouts with eight against New Jersey than any other opponent). New Jersey: The Devils have 60 points, stuck in 7th-place in the eight-team Metropolitan, leaving them eight points out of the second wild card spot. Home has not been where the heart is for New Jersey this season (13-12-4), as the Devils have won just three of their last 13 games (3-8-2) at Prudential Center. “Yeah, our backs are up against the wall now and every game has got to be played like it’s the one that’s going to knock us out,” New Jersey forward Kyle Palmieri said. The pick: It's the league's 4th-highest scoring team in the Rangers (3.28 per game) up against the Devils, who rank just 29th in scoring at 2.27 goals per game, However, I believe the league's best road team dictates the play in this one and the Over is a 10* selection. |
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02-24-17 | Oregon State v. California OVER 124 | Top | 46-76 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 3 m | Show |
The set-up: The 5-24 Oregon State Beavers own just one Pac 12 win (1-15) and won't likely earn their second tonight in Berkeley, when they take on the 18-9 Cal Golden Bears (9-6 in Pac 12 play). Oregon State: The Beavers' season all but ended when 6-8 forward Tres Tinkle (20.2-8.3), the coach's son, broke his wrist after six games. Oregon State opened the season by going 4-9 in non-conference play but lost its first 14 Pac 12 games, before breaking through this past Sunday, when OSU rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to upset Utah, 68-67. The Beavers then lost Wednesday night 79-66 at Stanford and now face Cal. Guard Thompson scored a career-high 31 points in the win over Utah but then had just eight points on the Stanford loss. He leads the team in scoring at 16.4 PPG with fellow guard McLaughlin (11.0 & 3.1 APG) plus the 6-10 Eubanks (14.9 & 8.4) being the only other real significant contributors OSU has now, without Tinkle . California: The Golden Bears have lost three in a row for the first time this season and can’t afford to look past the last-place Beavers, as Cal now sits squarely on the NCAA Tournament 'bubble!' Cal squandered a 16-point, second-half lead and lost 68-65 to No.6 Oregon on Wednesday, when Dillon Brooks hit a game-winning three-pointer with two-tenths of a second remaining. “Obviously, if we had won, it would have been a signature win for us, what we’ve been looking for,” Cal's Jabari Bird told reporters. “It’s an uphill battle. It’s going to be tough getting to the Tournament, but we can do it.” Bird is averaging 20.7 points over the last three games and after three years of underachieving, the 6-5 swingman leads Cal in scoring at 15.1 PPG. The 6-11 Rabb averages 14.6 & 10.7 but the preseason All-American has not been consistent and surely isn't an All-American. |
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02-24-17 | Suns v. Bulls UNDER 216.5 | Top | 121-128 | Loss | -103 | 12 h 2 m | Show |
The set-up: The 18-39 Phoenix Suns, owners of the West's worst record, return from the break to play on the road in Chicago and will face the 28-29 Bulls. Both teams made trade deadline moves but both team's decided to stick with their "core players." Phoenix: The Suns sent forward P.J. Tucker to Toronto for forward Jared Sullinger and second-round draft picks in 2017 and 2018. Tucker was a top defender for Phoenix but scored very little (7.0 PPG in about 28-29 minutes), while Sullinger has been injured most of the season dealing with a foot injury that has only allowed him to appear in 11 games. The Suns have lost seven out of their last 10 games and will play out the string of the regular season with a dynamic young backcourt duo. Bledsoe had a triple-double (25-13-10) in the Suns' 137-101 rout of the Lakers right before the break and averages 21.6-4.9-6.2 on the season. The 20-year-old Booker is his backcourt partner and he averages 21.1 PPG on the season and scored at least 20 points in 20 of his last 22 games before the break! Chicago: The Bulls are a tough team to figure. They own a 6-1 record against the Eastern Conference's top three teams, yet come out of the break one game under. 500 (No. 7 seed), just two games inside of the playoff 'cut line.' Chicago posted home wins over Toronto and Boston prior to the break but right before that, had lost three games by an average of 25.7 PPG on the road. Go figure? Jimmy Butler's (24.5-4.9-6.2) name was frequently mentioned in trade rumors but in the end he remains in Chicago. However, the Bulls dealt starting forward Taj Gibson and reserve swingman Doug McDermott to OKC for PG Cameron Payne, center Joffrey Lauvergne and swingman Anthony Morrow. The Bulls also sent a 2018 second-round pick to the Thunder to round out the deal. I don't see how this helps Chicago in the present. Gibson (11.6 & 7.0) was a respected member of the Bulls locker room and McDermott was the Bulls' best three-point shooter (37.3%). The pick: The Suns are a poor defensive team (112.4 PPG allowed ranks 29th) but a "typical" Chicago home game averages between 204 and 205 points (17 of 28 Chicago home games have gone under). This over/under number in this contest opened more than 10 points higher than that, making the Under a 10* play. |
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02-23-17 | Rangers v. Maple Leafs UNDER 6 | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 12 h 42 m | Show |
The set-up: The 38-19-2 New York Rangers will venture into Air Canada Centre Thursday night for "an Original Six" game against the 28-20-1 Toronto Maple Leafs. This has been a one-sided rivalry as of late, with the Rangers going 11-4-1 against the Leafs over the last 16 meetings between the two clubs. NY Rangers: The Rangers enter on quite a roll, as despite losing a 3-2 shootout at home to the Canadiens in their last outing, New York owns a 7-1-1 mark in its last nine contests. The Rangers were not happy to gain only one point in Tuesday's game against the Canadiens but it's hard to complain too much, as New York has earned at least one point in eight of its past nine games (7-1-1) and 11 of its last 14 contests (10-3-1). Toronto: The Maple Leafs aren't playing nearly as well as the Rangers, as although they've won two straight, that makes them just a modest 5-3-2 in their last 10. The teams have split two games this season, with each winning on the road. On the season so far, Toronto is 15-10-4 at home, while the Rangers are19-8-0 on the road, tying for tehemost road wins of any team. The pick: The Rangers are struggling badly on the power play, going 5-for-50 over 17 games going back to Jan. 13. However, goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been excellent with a 1.97 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in his last eight outings (6-1-1) plus is 4-1-2 with a 1.96 GAA in his last seven visits to Toronto. Make the Under a 10* play. |
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02-23-17 | Nebraska v. Michigan State OVER 135.5 | Top | 72-88 | Win | 100 | 11 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: The 12-14 Nebraska Cornhuskers are just 6-8 in Big Ten play and are trying to just reach .500 overall, in hopes of any kind of postseason tourney invite. The 'Huskers will venture into East Lansing tonight for a game with the 16-11 Michigan State Spartans, who are 8-6 in Big Ten play after losing badly 80-63 last Saturday at now-No. 14 Purdue. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers knew swingman Shields (leading scorer at 16.8 PPG) was graduating but suffered a big blow when the-7 Andrew White III (16.6 & 5.9 LY) decided to play his graduate senior season at Syracuse. Backcourt players Webster (17.7-4.8-4.2) returned but are the team's lone double digit scorers. Emblematic of a near-.500 team, Nebraska averages 70.8 PPG and allows 71.0. Michigan Sttae: Tom Izzo has led the Spartans to 19 straight NCAA tournaments but this yeat's team is squarely "on the bubble." Senior guard Eron Harris, the team's third-leading scorer at 10.7 PPG, suffered a season-ending leg injury against the Boilermakers and Izzo now relies on four freshman. The 6-7 Miles Bridges (16.1 & 8.5) is a star and will likely be gone at the end of this year. The remainder of MSU's young talent are the 6-8 Ward (12.9 & 5.8), PG Winston (7.0 & 5.3 APG) and guard Langford (6.1). Ellis III (6.6) and Matt McQuaid (5.2) have shared time with Harris at SG this season and it's likely Ellis will start tonight. The pick: Assuming Ellis starts, Izzo will send out his ninth different starting lineup of the campaign. It's hardly been a "typical Izzo season" but expect a strong bounce-back off that 'ugly' effort at Purdue. The Cornhuskers are a very beatable foe and I see the Over (10*s) being the best play in this one. |
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02-21-17 | Penguins v. Hurricanes OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -116 | 18 h 44 m | Show |
The set-up: The 36-14-8 Pittsburgh Penguins saw their their nine-game point streak end with a 5-2 loss Sunday at home against the Red Wins (Pittsburgh's first regulation loss since the All Star break). The Penguins are in Carolina tonight to face the 24-23-8 Hurricanes, who got shut out for the second time during their current four-game losing skid (0-3-1) with a 4-0 Sunday loss at home to the Maple Leafs. Pittsburgh: Captain Sidney Crosby scored his NHL-leading 32nd goal on Sunday but it was nearly enough as goaltender Matt Murray allowed four goals against Detroit to suffer his first regulation loss since Jan. 26. While the Penguins have gone a couple of games without winning, they still hold the second-best record in the Eastern Conference with 80 points. It has sure helped that Pittsburgh is 13-5-1 against other members of the Metropolitan Division, reflecting the best record for any team in the division against its rivals. Carolina: In stark contrast to the Penguins, the Hurricanes' 56 points leave them in last-place in the eight-team Metropolitan Division. Carolina was once close to playoff contention but now the Hurricanes own the fewest points in the East and are in "desperation mode." Center Jeff Skinner was pretty blunt with his assessment after the team's latest loss. "It's not fun when you're falling in the standings," Skinner told the Raleigh News & Observer. "Time doesn't really go by quickly." The pick: The Hurricanes have failed to win in both of their outings since coming off their "bye week" and now catch Pittsburgh, which has beaten them twice already this season, looking to avoid a three-game losing streak, which would match a season-worst. Pittsburgh is No. 1 in goals (3.48 per) and shots (34.3 per) but has also allowed 3.07 GPG away from home. The Over is a 10* play. |
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02-19-17 | Flyers v. Canucks OVER 5 | Top | 3-2 | Push | 0 | 20 h 21 m | Show |
The set-up: The 27-24-7 Philadelphia Flyers cap a three-game road trip with a visit yo Vancouver on Sunday, to face the 26-27-6 Canucks. The Flyers have lost the first two games of their trip and will look to snap a three-game slide, overall. Vancouver Vancouver won 2-1 (OT) last night at home over the Flames and now looks to post consecutive wins for the first time in a month. Philadelphia: Losses in Calgary and Edmonton to open this trip makes it five losses in six games for Philly (1-4-1) and they've fallen into sixth place in the race for the two wild cards in the Eastern Conference. Vancouver: The Canucks climbed within four points of Calgary for the second wild card in the West with last night's win. However, as noted already, Vancouver has not posted back-to-back victories since wrapping up a three-game homestand with wins over Nashville and Florida back on Jan. 17 and 20, respectively. The pick: The Canucks and Flyers meet for the second and last time this season in this game, with the Flyers winning a shootout 5-4 over the Canucks back in Philly on Jan. 12th. Expect another high scoring game in this one, making the over an 8* play. |
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02-18-17 | Senators v. Maple Leafs UNDER 5.5 | Top | 6-3 | Loss | -103 | 11 h 55 m | Show |
The set-up: The 30-19-6 Ottawa Senators trail the first-place Canadiens by just four points in the Atlantic Division (with three games in hand), as they prepare to visit the 26-19-11 Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Ottawa: The Senators are coming off a 3-0 win at New Jersey on Thursday night, which kickid off a stretch in which they will play on the road six times in a seven-game span. "We need to take care of ourselves and not focus on what other teams are doing," Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson said. "I feel we've done a good job to put ourselves in this position. We're happy where we are, but we're here to win games. At the end of the day, as long as we do our job, we should be pretty satisfied." I'm not sure what he's talking about, as after the Senators ended January by losing three of four, their February 'surge' has them just 4-3 this month! Toronto: While he Senators are second in the Atlantic Division with 66 points, the Maple Leafs are fourth with 63. The Leafs are hardly surging themselves, having gone 3-5-2 in their past 10. Toronto could be without one of its top offensive players as rookie Mitch Marner, who leads the team with 48 points, missed practice Friday after hurting his shoulder while falling into the boards at Columbus on Wednesday. The pick: The Senators are 6-1-0 in their last seven meetings against the Maple Leafs, including a 3-2 shootout victory in Toronto on Jan. 21st, in the most recent meeting. I expect another tight game and a low-scoring one. The Under is a 10* play. |
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02-16-17 | Jets v. Penguins UNDER 6 | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -101 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
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