NBA Basketball Matchup: Denver Nuggets vs LA Clippers
Denver is coming off a heartbreaking loss against Memphis on Tuesday night. The Nuggets led all game, only to blow it at the end of regulation and then lose in overtime.
Author: Kyle Hunter
Kyle Hunter sports picks – A degree in finance and a great ability to follow important trends and statistics set him apart from the rest. Totals are Kyle's specialty, so look for a lot of totals picks from NBA, NCAAF, & the NFL. Check out his plays today.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Michigan St vs Illinois
Tom Izzo notched his 400th career win last week. Michigan State was expected to do big things last year, but they were a big disappointment.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas
It was a rocky start to the season for Vanderbilt, but Kevin Stallings’ team has turned things around in a big way over the last few weeks. Vanderbilt is tied for second in the SEC standings at 5-1.
NBA Basketball Matchup: Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic
If there was ever a good spot for some revenge this is it. Orlando was beaten 87-56 earlier this week by the Celtics.
NBA Basketball Matchup: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis had a seven-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night in Portland, but this is still a Grizzlies team that is playing with a ton of confidence. The Clippers got Chris Paul back from an injury in their last game against the Lakers, but they fell 96-91 in a hard fought game.
Super Bowl 46 – Giants Sportsbook Lines
After a long hard fought season, it will be the New England Patriots and the New York Giants in Super Bowl 46. The Giants ruined the Patriots perfect season in Super Bowl XLII. There is no perfect season for the Patriots this time around, but the Giants are still listed as the underdog.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Duke vs. Maryland
Every time Duke travels to Maryland they know they are going to be in for a real test. The Maryland student section is always ready for this matchup. Duke has won nine of the last ten meetings between these two ACC rivals.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: KU vs Texas
Many thought the Kansas Jayhawks would have be in rebuilding mode this year, but Bill Self and Thomas Robinson had other ideas. The Jayhawks are coming off a blowout victory of Baylor earlier this week.
NBA Basketball Matchup: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers
10:30 PM EST
NBA Gambling Odds from BetDSI
NBA Betting Favorite: Clippers -5
Over/Under: 190
Both the Timberwolves and the Clippers have to feel a lot better about where there team is today compared to this time a year ago. Ricky Rubio is bringing a new atmosphere to the team in Minnesota, and the Timberwolves are worth watching this year. Chris Paul is teaming up with Blake Griffin to provide a terrific show on a nightly basis in Los Angeles. These resurgent teams will meet tonight at Staples Center.
Minnesota was a cellar dweller last year, but they are quite competitive this season. Kevin Love had a breakout season last year, and now he has more help. Ricky Rubio is averaging 11 points and eight assists per game this year. Rubio is one of those players who makes everyone around him much better. Derrick Williams has been getting limited action thus far, but with his talent level he is bound to help this team as the season moves along. Kevin Love is still putting up some ridiculous numbers. Love is averaging 25.2 points and 14.5 boards per game. The biggest difference in this team compared to last year is their ability to play defense. Minnesota ranks in the top ten in the NBA in field goal percentage defense.
Chris Paul is listed as doubtful for this game due to a hamstring injury. Eric Bledsoe has yet to play this season. Even with some injury problems, the Clippers are off to an impressive 8-4 start this season. Mo Williams put up 26 points in the Clippers win over Dallas earlier this week, and he has proven to be a nice addition to the roster as well. Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups are also nice offensive weapons that have been added. This is a team that has no shortage of scorers, and the talent is there for the Clippers to make a run this year. Blake Griffin is still the team leader, and he averages 21 points 11 boards per game.
The under is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings between these two teams. Expect the Clippers to win, but the best value is likely the under.
Prediction: Los Angeles 94 Minnesota 89
NBA Basketball Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat
It is the matchup that many expected in the NBA Finals last year, but it never materialized.
NBA Basketball Matchup: Dallas vs Utah
Not much was expected of the Utah Jazz coming into this year, but they are 9-4 and right in the middle of the hunt in the Western Conference.
Ravens vs Pats AFC Championship Prediction
The winner of this game will play in the Super Bowl two weeks from now. Both of these teams have fallen short despite high expectations over the last few years, and you can bet that they are extremely hungry to get back to the Super Bowl.
New England is the big favorite thanks to a high-powered offense, but the Ravens can’t be discounted with their top-notch defense. Let’s take a closer look at this AFC Championship game.
**BETONLINE – THE BEST SPORTSBOOK FOR NFL FOOTBALL BETTING! – CLICK HERE NOW + BET TODAY!**
Baltimore Ravens (13-4) vs. New England Patriots (14-3)
Time/Date: 3:00 PM EST, January 22, 2012
Venue: Gillette Stadium
Broadcast: CBS
Ravens vs. Patriots NFL Gambling Odds from JustBet
Spread: Patriots -7.5
Moneyline: New England (-330) Baltimore (+275)
Over/Under: 50.5
Baltimore’s offense has had an up and down season. Ray Rice is an absolute beast in the backfield, but there have been times throughout the year when this team simply hasn’t used him enough. Rice averaged 4.7 yards per carry, and he also led the team with 76 receptions this season. Rice is one of the most versatile running backs in the NFL, and the Ravens need to use him a lot this weekend. Joe Flacco has been highly criticized in the media this year. He has had his worst season as a pro statistically. Flacco is only completing 57.6% of his passes. He did play pretty well last week against the Texans. Anquan Boldin is the team’s top receiver. The Ravens average 23.6 points per game.
The main reason Baltimore is in the AFC Championship is their tremendous defense. The Ravens rank third in the NFL in total defense. Terrell Suggs has had a great career, but this has been his best season yet. Suggs has racked up 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles already this year. Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody are a force in the middle of the defensive line. Ray Lewis is once again the team’s leading tackler. Ed Reed is older, but he is still one of the top safeties in the league. It’s tough to find a weak spot on this unit.[soliloquy id=”82219″]
New England’s offense has been a well-oiled machine this year. The Patriots average 32.1 points per contest. Tom Brady threw for 39 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions this year. He has a quarterback rating of 105.9. Brady has an endless amount of weapons to work with in this offense. Rob Gronkowski has 17 touchdowns in 17 games this year. Gronkowski has quickly become the best tight end in football. He is too quick for a linebacker, but too big for a safety or corner. Aaron Hernandez is listed as questionable for this game, but he is also a great tight end who creates mismatches. Wes Welker leads the team in catches with 122, and it would be tough to find a more reliable receiver in the NFL. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Steven Ridley, and Danny Woodhead carry the ball just enough to keep the defense honest.
The Patriots defense has given up a lot of yards this year, but they have done a nice job limiting the opposition’s touchdowns. New England ranks second to last in the NFL in total yards allowed per game, but they are giving up only 21.4 points per game. Kyle Arrington leads the team with seven interceptions. One source of concern for this group is the fact that their top two tacklers are both cornerbacks.
These teams have met three times in the past three years. All three games have been close, and they have all stayed under the posted total. Look for another game that is lower scoring than expected.
Free NFL Pick: Under 50.5
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Michigan State vs Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines swept the season series last year over Michigan State. Tom Izzo’s Spartans team was quite disappointing last year, but he seems to have the type of players he wants in his system this year.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Arkansas vs. Kentucky
Should it come as any surprise that John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats are loaded once again this year?
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Kentucky vs. Tennessee
It’s tough to find a team that can match Kentucky’s athleticism. John Calipari has once again brought in an amazing crop of youngsters.
12:00 PM EST
College Basketball Gambling Odds from BetOnline
NCAA Basketball Betting Favorite: Kentucky -10
Over/Under: 136
This might be Coach Cal’s single best chance of winning it all yet. Tennessee has had an up and down season thus far. Cuonzo Martin is a great guy for the job, but it is just going to take this team some time to get back near the top. Can the Volunteers pull of a big upset at home or will the Wildcats roll?
How deep and talented is this Kentucky team? The Wildcats have six players that average at least ten points per contest. Freshman Anthony Davis has made a big name for himself already this season. Davis is averaging 12.8 points and 10.3 boards per game. He is also one of the best shot blockers the college game has seen in many years. Davis already has 76 blocks this year, and he alters a ton of shots in the paint. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Doron Lamb and Terrance Jones are basically the “veterans” of this team as sophomores. Both of them shoot the ball extremely well from the outside. Kentucky is a strong offensive team, but most impressive is the fact that they are second in the nation in field goal percentage defense.
Tennessee isn’t nearly as deep of a team as they were a couple years ago. Bruce Pearl hurt this program quite a bit last year, and now it is up to Martin to get the team back on the right path. Trae Golden and Cameron Tatum form a nice backcourt for the Volunteers. Both of them can fill it up from beyond the arc. Jeronne Maymon is a solid player on the inside, but he will have his hands full in this matchup. The biggest problem Tennessee has had this year has been their weakness on the defensive end. The Volunteers rank in the lower half in all the major team defensive categories.
I think the pace will be quick enough to see this one get over the posted total. Kentucky should win, but I expect a valiant effort from Tennessee.
Prediction: Kentucky 74 Tennessee 66
CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST BASKETBALL HANDICAPPING PREDICTIONS ALL SEASON LONG —–>
NBA Basketball Matchup: Orlando vs Golden State
The news in Orlando hasn’t been very cheerful of late since Dwight Howard wants out of town. It hasn’t seemed to hurt the team’s play, as the Magic have started 6-3.
