Mike Lineback
Clippers/ Cavs Over
Tony Karpinski
Philadelphia 76ers
Canisius
St. Louis Blues
JB Sports
3* Blazers
2* Clippers
RAS is passing both sides & totals today.
Jeff Benton
20 Dime 76ers
How can I go against a team that’s got the best overall record in the league (44-8), the best road record in the league (19-6), the best pointspaead record in the league (32-18-2) and comes into tonight having won and covered four in a row (all on the road) and seven of eight (including six of seven on the road)?
Great questions, all. My answer? I believe the Spurs’ energy tank is running on empty. Stay with me here: Since we flipped the calendar to February, San Antonio has played five road games, going from Portland to L.A. (Lakers) to Sacramento to Detroit to Toronto. And now they’re in Philadelphia to play their third road game since Tuesday. Taking things a step further, including tonight’s contest, the Spurs have played just one home game in their last 10! And guess what they’re doing tomorrow? Playing on the road in Washington, which would be their fourth road game in five nights.
And let’s not forget that as great as San Antonio has been this season, this is still a team whose key contributors have a ton of mileage on their NBA odometers (speaking mainly of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili). Taking all this travel into account – and remember they play in Washington tomorrow night, followed by road games next week at New Jersey and Chicago to cap a nine-game road trip – and understanding that his team is a virtual lock for a #1 overall seed, don’t you think coach Gregg Popovich would pick tonight to give his stars some rest? I’m not saying they won’t play at all, but what about limited minutes? Makes sense, no?
Keep this in mind, too: The 76ers have upset the Spurs in each of the last three meetings in Philadelphia (and four of the last five). Additionally, the home team 10-2 SU in the last 12 meetings, and the 76ers are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 (including six spread-covers in the last seven). Also, despite dropping two of its last three – including Wednesday’s four-point home loss to Orlando – the 76ers are playing solid basketball overall (7-3 last 10) and at home (8-3 last 11).
Finally, as great as the Spurs have been against the number this season (again, 32-18-2 ATS), Philadelphia is right behind (32-19-1 ATS). And not even San Antonio can match what the Sixers have done at the betting window in their last 37 games (25-12 ATS), which including a 13-3 ATS record in their last 16 following a loss and a 7-1 ATS record in their last eight when catching less than five points at home.
Bottom line: You know the 76ers, facing the NBA’s top team, will be emotionally up for this game, but I don’t have that same confidence for the Spurs, who are in a classic “flat” spot and just might be dead-dog tired. Take the points, and don’t be surprised by an outright upset.
Street Rosenthal
200* Siena Over 147.5
The Duke's Sports
Minnesota Over (217') for 1.5 Units
This series has gone 6-0 O/U in its last 6 matchups and 5-2 O/U in its last 7 at Indiana, including a range of 233 to 237 over its last 3 there. The Pacers' offensive game has picked up considerably since Vogel too over as head coach; as a matter of fact, the Pacers are averaging 107 ppg in the six games under him. Defensively, however, the Pacers are yielding and we see the T- Wolves, which looked good offensively in their last two road games, eclipsing 100 points again. The T-Wolves are 5-0 O/U against teams under .500. Moreover, Michael Beasley has been upgraded to questionable tonight. He would surely lend the T-Wolves more offensive firepower. We'll look for effective trading of baskets tonight.
Helmut
Iona Under 146
Rocketman
4* Memphis
3* Phoenix
Maddux Sports
10 Units Philly +3
10 Units New Orleans +9
10 Units Yale +12
10 Units Anaheim / Calgary Under 5.5
Marc Lawrence
3 Units Columbia +3
Ivy League action resumes Friday night in New York City when Columbia hosts Princeton in a key clash. Princeton enters off a stirring overtime win at home against Pennsylvania on Tuesday knowing the Tigers are 4-11 ATS in game taking on the Quakers, including 0-5 SU and ATS when facing a .550 or greater opponent. In addition, Princeton is looking dead ahead to a triple revenge affair with Cornell and stands 0-3 ATS in games before taking on the Big Red. On the flip side, Columbia is 11-4 ATS at home in this series, including 11-2 ATS when the Tigers are off a win and 10-3 ATS when the Lions are seeking revenge. This game has all the earmarks of an upset in the making. Take the points with the live home dog. We recommend a 3 -unit play on Columbia.
Larry Ness
8* Indiana -8
The Pacers have won FIVE of six (4-2 ATS) since Jim O'Brien was fired on January 30. Interim head coach Frank Vogel has focused on doing exactly what team president Larry Bird wanted, get the team's younger players involved more. Hibbert has been returned to the low post on offense and averaged 18.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG in the last six games while Tyler Hansbrough was averaging 10.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG before being a non-factor in the last outing. Another key component has been the increased time for 6-8 rookie Paul George, who has averaged 10.7 PPG under Vogel. That trio joins mainstays Granger (20.9-5.5), Collison (16.2-5.0 APG) and Dunleavy (11.6-4.9). The Pacers have reached triple digits in each game under Vogel while averaging 107.0 PPG! Most importantly, Indiana has moved into eighth-place in the East under Vogel. The T-wolves may have Kevin Love (21-4-15.6) and his 38 consecutive double-doubles (the longest such streak since Moses Malone had 44 in a row for Philadelphia in 1982-83) but other than Beasley (19.9-5.6), the team is short on talent. Worse yet, Beasley missed Tuesday's game against the Rockets due to a sprained left ankle and is also expected to be out of action tonight. PG Ridnour (11.5-5.7 APG) missed his fifth straight game Tuesday against the Rockets (personal) and is also not expected to play tonight. Then there is 6-7 guard Webster (10.5), who missed his third straight game Tuesday against the Rockets (back spasms) he's not expected to play. You get the drift. Let's note that the T-wolves opened the season 2-23 SU on the road before winning 104-92 at New Orleans on Monday before winning 112-108 at Houston on Tuesday. However, can Kevin Love really play one-on-FIVE? Lay the points.
Craig Davis
Penn
St Peters
Anthony Redd
Yale
Canisius
Hornets
Marist
Iona
Brett Atkins
Clippers
Chuck O'Brien
76ers
Derek Mancini
Knicks
McNeil
Clippers
Al DeMarco
Penn
2 Minute Warning
Bobcats
Joel Tyson
Bobcats
Matt Rivers
Heat
Trace Adams
Blazers
Dr. Bob
NBA Opinions
CHARLOTTE (-6½) over New Jersey
New Jersey has lost 20 of their 27 road games by 7 points or more and the Nets are only 6-29-1 ATS on the road the last two seasons when not getting more than 9 points, including 0-9 ATS recently. New Jersey is also only 4-17 ATS this season, and 13-34-1 ATS since last season, when facing a team with a win percentage of less than .450 (i.e. teams that aren’t likely to take the Nets lightly). My home-road ratings favor the Bobcats by 8 points and the line opened at 7 ½, so there is some line value favoring Charlotte. However, the Bobcats are not exactly the type of team that blows out bad teams and their 7 point home win over the Nets earlier this season came in overtime. I’ll lean with Charlotte at -7 or less and I’d take the Bobcats in a 2-Star Best Bet at -6 or less.
INDIANA (-8½) over Minnesota
Indiana is 5-1 straight up and 4-2 ATS under their new head coach Frank Vogel and the Pacers have a tendency to beat up on bad teams at home. Indiana is 16-4-1 ATS as a home favorite of 4 points or more the last two seasons, including 11-1-1 ATS against teams with a win percentage of .333 or less. Minnesota is coming off consecutive upset road wins but road underdogs (or pick) are just 67-103-5 ATS after consecutive road upset wins (although the best part of that situation doesn’t apply to this game). I’ll lean with Indiana minus the points.
L.A. Clippers (-4) over CLEVELAND
Cleveland went from really bad to horrendous when underappreciated big man Anderson Varejao was injured, as he is actually the key to that team. The Cavs are 0-22 straight up in the games that Varejao has missed this season and only 2 of those losses were by losses were by less than 5 points. The Clippers aren’t quite as good with top scorer Eric Gordon out, but they’re only a couple points worse than an average team with their current lineup and my ratings favor the Clippers by 6 points in this game. I’ll lean with the Clippers at -4 or less and I’d take the Clippers in a 2-Star Best Bet at-3 or less.
College Opinion
St. Peter’s (-9) over MARIST
St. Peter’s tends to beat up on bad teams, as the Peacocks are now 17-3 ATS in conference games against losing teams the last 3 seasons, including 6-1 ATS this season. My ratings favor St. Peter’s by 9 ½ points and I’ll lean with St. Peter’s minus the points. I’d take St. Peter’s in a 2-Star Best Bet at -8 or less.
Dr Bob
Miami Heat
Brown