Eddie Jay
NCAAB
5* NOR.COLORADO-2
3* Loyola Chicago +1.5
2* N.Arizona +2
NHL
4* FLAMES ml -145
NBA
3* 76ers -3
2* Wolves+7.5
2* Mavericks-5
2* Bucks/GS OVER 216
Wayne Root
Vegas Legend - Washington Wizards
Millionaire - Phoenix Suns
Eric Degarde
3* Atlanta -5
Brett Atkins
15 Dime NBA E-Z Winner - CHICAGO BULLS
Chicago is playing its best basketball of the season while the Wizards are in a state of disarray with all the off-court issues of Gilbert Arenas. The Bulls have won three straight and seven of 10 (9-1 ATS) and they just drilled the Celtics in Boston on Thursday. Washington has lost three straight and eight of 10 (2-7-1 ATS) and they've averaged just 86 points a game over the last two. Chicago won three of four season clashes last year and they'll come out with a big win tonight. Play the Bulls.
Charley Sutton
150 Unit Hornets
50 Unit Clippers
Hornets at Pistons
HORNETS - It’s been a pretty forgettable season for the Detroit Pistons, who enter tonight’s game against the Hornets just 12-25 SU and 16-20-1 ATS this season. As if that record ATS wasn’t bad enough, just recently have the Pistons become a money loser. After starting the season 14-8-1, the Pistons have gone 2-12 ATS their last 14 games, including 0-5 ATS their last 5 games at home. The Hornets, on the other hand, ride into tonight having covered in 6 of their last 8 games and are 3-1 ATS their last 4 games on the road. Keep in mind, too, when these two hooked up in December, New Orleans cruised to a 95-87 victory as a 5 1/2 point favorite. The Hornets will cruise again tonight.
Clippers at Lakers
CLIPPERS - Though the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are separated by 12 games in the standings, both teams come into tonight’s game having covered in just 17 games this season. The Lakers come into this game having covered in just 4 of their last 13 games against the Western Conference and having failed to cover in 4 straight against the Pacific Division. The Clippers, on the other hand, have covered in 4 of 5 against the Western Conference and are on a 7-1 ATS run overall. Most importantly, though, is what these two have been doing against each other lately. The Clippers are actually on a 4-game cover streak against the Lakers and pulled off the outright victory in their last meetings 9 days ago, as the Clippers won easily 102-91 as a 5-point underdog. The Clippers are catching about 10 1/2 points tonight and will cash in once again.
Chuck O'Brien
20 DIME: LAKERS
BREAKDOWN: Not worried about the fact the Lakers have struggled without injured All-Star forward Pau Gasol, splitting six games without him (1-5 ATS). Also not worried that the Clippers shocked the Lakers two weeks ago (102-91 as a five-point underdog) or that the Clips have cashed in four straight meetings with their stadium partners. That’s because Gasol is expected back tonight – and, more importantly, L.A. still has the best player in the game in Kobe Bryant (who seems OK after suffering that back injury at San Antonio earlier in the week), while the Clippers likely won’t have the one player who has given the Lakers so much trouble this year (center Chris Kaman, doubtful with a back injury; Kaman has combined for 39 points and 30 boards in two games against the Lakers this year) … The Clippers have followed up a four-game winning streak (all at home) with consecutive road losses to Memphis and New Orleans, the latter a 108-94 defeat on the day it was announced that former No. 1 pick Blake Griffin – and the Clippers’ key to the playoffs – is out for the year. (Don’t think that won’t have a lingering emotional impact.) … The Lakers have been a shaky bet all year, but they have cashed in three straight home games with dominating efforts (131-96 vs. Dallas; 88-79 vs. Houston; 95-77 vs. Milwaukee). Also, the Lakers get two full days off before their next game on Monday, while the Clippers have to face LeBron and the Cavs tomorrow night.
15 DIME: THUNDER
BREAKDOWNThere’s no such thing as a sure thing betting the NBA, which might be the most difficult sport to handicap. But the closest thing to a sure thing is to go against the Mavericks at home. Dallas is a miserable 5-14 ATS on its home court this year, failing to cover in 13 of its last 14 games in Big D. And even if you take the spread out of the equation, the Mavs have lost four of seven home games outright! … Oklahoma City has cashed in 12 of its 18 road games this year, going 5-1 ATS in the last six. The Thunder are also 6-2 ATS in their last eight as a road ‘dog and 4-0 ATS in their last four as a ‘dog of 5 to 10½ points. … Going back to the end of the 2007-08 season (the Thunder’s last as the SuperSonics), Dallas is in a 1-5 ATS slump in this rivalry. And the Thunder are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four trips to Dallas … In addition to their struggles covering pointspreads at home, the Mavs are 1-7 ATS in their last eight as a favorite and 1-11 ATS in their last 12 in this price range (5 to 10 ½ points). Dallas also has failed to cover in 10 of its last 14 against Western Conference teams.
Jay McNeil
25 Dime - WARRIORS
Golden State is on ATS runs of 8-2 overall and 4-1 at home, while Milwaukee is 0-3 SU in the midst of a season-high six-game road trip and on ATS slides of 3-7 overall, 1-5 as an underdog and 1-4 as a road 'dog. The Bucks are just 4-14 on the road this season, rookie guard Brandon Jennings is averaging just 10.5 points while shooting 26.9 percent in his last six games and sharpshooting guard Michael Redd is done for the season after tearing ligaments in his left knee Sunday night against the Lakers.
10 Dime - ROCKETS
Houston has won five of its last six games against Miami, going 5-1 ATS, including three straight wins, and the Rockets are 5-1 ATS in the teams' last six meetings in Houston. The Rockets have won eight straight games at home, and they have great balance on offense and tough defenders such as Shane Battier and Trevor Ariza to make Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, who is playing with a sprained wrist, have to work hard to get his points.
Joel Tyson
400♦ - Houston Rockets
The road is starting to get a little long for Miami, playing their 5th of 6 in a row on the road this evening at the Toyota Center.
Miami is 2-2 both straight up, and against the spread on this trek, but this will be game 5 in the last 7 days, and they are taking on a Houston team that is mighty quick and will make them pay before this one is done.
Houston comes in with just 2 straight up wins in their last 6 games, but they are 11-5 against the spread at home this year, and they have won the last 3, and 5 of the last 6 both straight up, and against the spread in this east-west series.
Going to lay the points with the host tonight against the tired visitor.
Pete Angelo
500♦ NBA BLOWOUT - Indiana Pacers
The Nets are an absolute joke this season, and will be made a mockery of tonight at home. Heads up to everyone, I am going to be keeping an eye on the Nets every single night thru the All-Star Break, as there is constant value in going against them. The Nets have lost their two meetings with Indiana by 12.0 per game this season, as the Pacers have played solid defense in holding Jersey to 36.3 percent shooting in each victory. Easy winner here guys, Pacers roll.
Dave Malinsky
4* ATLANTA over PHOENIX
Instead of the month of January being a Good News/Bad News scenario for Phoenix it breaks down differently – it is Bad News/Worse News. The Bad is that an old team looks awfully tired already, starting calendar 2010 on a 2-4 SU and ATS run in which they have lost to the pointspread by 53.5 points, with the defense (allowing 113.2 per game) and rebounding (-37 boards) completely breaking down. The Worse is that those six games came against teams that are a collective 18 games under .500, and that four of them came at home. This is not the setting for any of that to turn around.Phoenix brings a short price tonight because of that 24-15 overall record, but it is not just the last two weeks that things have broken down – the Suns are 10-12 after a 14-3 start, an early burst of energy that they do not have the depth to maintain. For the full season they are 25th in the NBA on our best defensive tables and in rebounding, and the personnel simply is note there to turn those categories around. So things will continue to deteriorate, especially in this matchup.While Phoenix brings the #25 defense to the table, the Hawks are #2 offensively, and #1 in fewest turnovers. Against an opponent that does not bring ball pressure the Hawks can execute their designs throughout, and the schedule setting lays out well for them to have the energy to take full advantage – they have only had a comfortable win over Washington in the last three days, and do not play again until a home game vs. Oklahoma City on Monday. Meanwhile the Suns are in the opener of a back-to-back setting on the road, something that have not faced in over six weeks, and it means that Alvin Gentry may not have his team chasing all that hard from behind if this one gets out of reach. We think it will
Executive
250 Sacramento
Erin Rynning
Playmaker: Oklahoma City +5
SPORTS UNLIMITED
5* WASHINGTON / CHICAGO OVER
4* CHARLOTTE
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
St. Peter's +6.5
For a number of different reasons I believe we're getting excellent value on St. Peter's in this situation:
Nick Leon scored a career-high 29 points and Wesley Jenkins added 27 in Saint Peter’s 90-86 double overtime win over Niagara on Monday night.
Leading 82-81 with 2:02 left in the second overtime period, the Peacocks (8-8, 3-3 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) scored five straight to pull away. Leon capped the spurt on a three-point play for an 87-81 lead with 41 seconds remaining.
Darius Conley had 13 points, and Ryan Bacon tallied 12 points and career-highs with 16 rebounds and seven assists for the Peacocks.
I expect the Peacocks to continue to build momentum and play with confidence after their last dominating performance.
On the other side of the court: Ryan Thompson scored 21 points to lead Rider to an 84-62 victory over Marist on Monday night.
The Broncs shot 54.2 % from the field (32-for-59), and scored 17 points off of Marist’s 14 turnovers; however I expect a "letdown" tonight as the Broncos will also have some matchup issues in some key positions.
It's interesting to point out as well that Rider is already a poor 1-3 ATS in front of the hometown crowd this season.
Bottom line: The Peacocks have history on their side; 8-2 ATS its last ten when playing on the road vs. the Broncos; look for ST. PETER'S to improve to 5-2 ATS when playing the roll of underdog, and 5-2 ATS vs. conference opponents and for Rider to fall to 0-4 ATS this season after scoring 80 points or more in its previous contest!
9* ST. PETER'S
Bob Balfe
Toronto +2.5