Sportsbetsnow
2 Units Wright St. PK
2 Units Arizona St -3.5
Don Wallace Sports
Memphis -3
Atlanta -3
San Antonio -4
Phoenix -5.5
Portland +3
Denver PK
BRANDON LANG
75 DIME - NEW YORK JETS - (if line is 2 1/2 you buy the 1/2 and get 3. If 3 you buy the 1/2 and get 3 1/2. Line value with the underdog - get the best line possible.)
25 DIME - NEW YORK JETS MONEY LINE PLAY - This is a dangerous animal right here.
When you have the # 1 defense in the NFL and the # 1 rush attack in the NFL, I don't care who you are playing, you are going to be a tough out.
Now I know Cincinnati will put 8 in the box and do everything they can to stop the run, and force Sanchez to throw and beat them but that isn't where the Jets are going to win the game.
They win the game because of the true weakness of this Bengals team and has been their weakness all year is their offense.
The warning signs have been there all year long but down the stretch when your offense is supposed to be peaking heading into the playoffs, this Bengals team has gotten worse.
There was the 90 yards passing at Minnesota 4 weeks ago, and at home 2 weeks ago they were held to 10 points for 58 minutes by the Chiefs, who just so happen to have the 3rd worst defense in the NFL.
Over their last 9 games the Bengals have reached 20 points or more twice and they have covered only 1 of their last 7 games right along with it.
Of all the teams in the playoffs Cincinnati could have faced they draw the one team they match up the worst against.
Am I concerned about young Mr. Mark "Interception" Sanchez on the road in his first playoff game? Absolutely, but I also trust the offensive coordinator Schottenheimer to put him in situations to not lose the game instead have to win it.
Playoff football is about running the football and playing defense. Two the things the Jets do better than any team in the NFL.
This is one of the best offensive lines in football and they dominated the trenches a week ago and I don't see anything to lead me to believe they won't dominate it again.
I don't see any changes the Bengals can make offensively which leads me to believe they can execute any better at home against the #1 ranked defense in the NFL.
Cincinnati has scored the least amount of points than any team in the playoffs, and quite frankly, I don't trust the 24th ranked offense against the # 1 defense in the NFL and I don't care where they play.
I will gladly grab the Jets plus the points and I will money line the Jets as well as they handle the Bengals again and move on to round two.
75 dime JETS, and 25 dime JETS MONEY LINE
25 DIME - WRIGHT STATE RAIDERS -They always play Butler tough.
And tonight they get them at home where Wright State is a perfect 6-0 SU, and 3-1 ATS.
This team has been competitive all year long as their 5 losses have been by 5 at Washington, 3 at Northeastern, 1 at Miami/Ohio, 11 to Mississippi State and 1 at Loyola-Chicago.
I just love the make up of this team.
They return 4 starters from last years squad, and got back all world guard Vaughn Duggins who missed last year with a broken finger. Teamed with his replacement John David Gardner, this is a really good backcourt.
Butler is Butler. No way around it, as they have been the class of the Horizon League but Wright State always plays them tough.
Not only is Butler 3-12 ATS last 15 meetings versus the Raiders but just 1-7 ATS last 8 at Wright State.
The bottom line is Wright State matches up really well with Butler and in a near pickem game I like the home team to get the win and announce to Butler we will see you in the Horizon League championship game in March.
FREE SELECTION - WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
RAS
Arizona -2
Cal Poly +6.5
Mont. St. -4.5
David Banks
Atlanta Hawks -3
Dallas Mavs +4
Milwaukee Bucks -3.5
LA Lakers -3
Wright State -1.5
Arizona State -3.5
Dwayne Bryant
Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers
Bet: Philadelphia 76ers -2
Love how this game sets up. Toronto is coming into this one off back-to-back upset wins over the Spurs at home and over the Magic in Orlando. The Raptors also have a same-season revenge game up next at home against the Celtics. So what are the chances they're at all focused on the 10-24 76ers? Talk about a flat spot!
The 76ers are coming off a home loss against Washington, but don't discount them so quickly. Philly has recent wins against Denver, Portland, and Boston. And those three wins were on the road, so I'm sure they can compete against a mediocre Toronto team that finds itself in a pretty tough situational spot tonight. The oddsmakers opened Philly as the favorite for a reason. Lay the small number with Philadelphia.
Ben Burns
ATL -3 vs BOS
I'm laying the small number with ATLANTA. Some may feel that the Celtics will be the more motivated team here, due to the fact that the Hawks beat them at Boston last month, back in mid-November. However, I expect the Hawks to be every bit as "hungry."
Keep in mind that the Hawks are trying hard to break into the upper echelon of teams in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics, Magic and Cavaliers remain firmly established as "The Big Three" in the East. The Hawks believe they belong in that group and badly want to earn the respect that they feel that they deserve. A win over the Celts on National TV (ESPN) would help in the standings and will go a long way to earning some of that respect. The fact that the Cavs beat them here recently (and again at Clev) should serve to make them even that much more motivated. That was a "statement" game and so is this one.
Speaking of the "Big Three," of course, it should also be mentioned that the Celts will still be without Kevin Garnett for this game.
As for the Celtics getting their "revenge," let's not forget that they're just 3-5 ATS the last eight times they tried to avenge an earlier loss. That includes a 1-2 SU/ATS mark when trying to avenge a home loss. Also, with these teams playing again at Boston in a few days (on 1/11) the Celts know they'll still get a chance for some payback, no matter what happens here. Armed with the same knowledge, the Hawks know they need this one - as winning at Boston twice in a row will be tough.
Admittedly, the Celts are tough (14-4 SU and 9-9 ATS) on the road. However, the Hawks home record (13-4 SU and 12-5 ATS) is every bit as good.
The Hawks recently had a "players-only meeting" and responded with a 30-point win in their last game. I expect them to build off that effort, improving to 11-6 SU/ATS when coming off a double-digit win and making a "statement" that they belong among the best teams in the East. *10
Dwayne Bryant
Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers
Bet: Philadelphia 76ers -2Love how this game sets up. Toronto is coming into this one off back-to-back upset wins over the Spurs at home and over the Magic in Orlando. The Raptors also have a same-season revenge game up next at home against the Celtics. So what are the chances they're at all focused on the 10-24 76ers? Talk about a flat spot!
The 76ers are coming off a home loss against Washington, but don't discount them so quickly. Philly has recent wins against Denver, Portland, and Boston. And those three wins were on the road, so I'm sure they can compete against a mediocre Toronto team that finds itself in a pretty tough situational spot tonight. The oddsmakers opened Philly as the favorite for a reason. Lay the small number with Philadelphia.
Washington at Arizona State
Bet: Arizona State -4
Washington is the ranked team and Arizona State is 0-2 in conference play with their last loss being a game in which they scored just 37 points. And yet the Sun Devils are the favorite here. Hmmm.
The Huskies have only played one true road game and that was a 7-point OT loss at Texas Tech. UW owns offensive and defensive efficiency rankings of 69th and 59th, respectively. On the flip side, ASU's two conference losses both came on the road. The Sun Devils are 9-1 at home, and they own offensive and defensive efficiency rankings of 33rd and 39th, respectively.
I expect Washington to struggle a bit on the road, while ASU continues their solid play at home. The Sun Devils should be plenty motivated to get their first conference win and erase the memory of that 37-point performance at USC in their last game. Lay it with Arizona State.
Teddy Covers
Mavericks
Huskies
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
Washington +3.5
For a number of different reasons I believe the value in this game is on Washington:
The 24th-ranked Huskies should have plenty of motivation as they try for a seventh straight road win over Arizona State in a conference matchup Friday night.
Coming off its first Pac-10 regular-season championship since 1953, Washington (10-3, 1-1) began its title defense with a lethargic 76-70 home win over Oregon State on New Year’s Eve. The overall effort wasn’t much better in a shocking 90-79 home loss to Oregon on Saturday.
It was certainly not the way Washington expected to open conference play, especially not when the Huskies are the only ranked team in a league that is considered to be average at best when compared to the other major power conferences in the country.
“We’ve got to come back together, not let this game drop our confidence and just be ready,” said Washington sixth man Venoy Overton, who’s averaging 13.5 points in the two conference games.
Washington is 4-1 its last five and has history on its side; 5-0 ATS its last five on the road vs. Arizona State.
On the other side of the court: While Washington is averaging a league-leading 82.5 points on the season and 81.3 during its six-game road winning streak against Arizona State, the Sun Devils are allowing just 55.2 per game.
With last season’s top scorers James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph in the NBA, Arizona State has lost two straight.
Keep in mind that the Sun Devils always struggle against the Huskies; 2-13 SU their last 15 matchups.
Bottom line: Arizona State is facing its second ranked opponent of the season after losing 64-53 to then-No. 7 Duke on Nov. 25 and I expect another "letdown" this evening; look for WASHINGTON to improve to 1-1 ATS this year as an underdog and for Arizona State to fall to 3-6 ATS when playing the roll of favorite!
9* WASHINGTON
Rocketman
Eastern Washington +15
Grizzlies are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite of 13.0 or greater. Grizzlies are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite of 13.0 or greater. Grizzlies are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. Big Sky. Underdog is 6-2-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings. Eastern Washington will keep this one close tonight. My power ratings has Montana winning by only 9.08 points. We'll play Eastern Washington for 3 units tonight!
Marc Lawrence
Wshington +3.5
When the Huskies meet the Sun Devils in Tempe Friday night they will be playing with revenge from a loss to ASU in the PAC 10 championship game last season. With Washington 6-0 ATS in its last six games on this floor and and Arizona State 0-4 ATS with four or more days of rest, and 0-3 ATS versus an avenging opponent this season, look for the Huskies to get their revenge here tonight. We recommend a 3-unit play on Washington.
Ron Raymond
NY Islanders +155
Lenny Del Genio
Memphis -1
The Grizzlies are playing with immediate revenge for a loss in Utah Wednesday night, falling 117-94 as 5.5-point dogs. That was the ninth consecutive time they failed to cover the spread against the Jazz (0-9 SU). Look for them to gain revenge tonight. They are 6-1 ATS playing with same season revenge this year and 10-3 ATS playing with revenge for a loss where the opponent scored 100+ points. That Wednesday loss was quite uncharacteristic for a Grizzlies team that has really been playing well the last month or so. Previously, they had won seven of eight, covering the spread in seven of those eight games as well. Point guard could be the determining factor in this game as the addition of Jamaal Tinsley has given Memphis some much needed depth at the position. The team has won 15 of 23 games since his signing. Meanwhile, Utah could be without Deron Williams again. Eventually, that's going to catch up with you, missing a player like Williams. The Grizzlies are 10-5 ATS at home this season while Utah is not a good road team at 6-10 SU, losing six of their last nine. Memphis has already beaten teams like Cleveland, Denver and Dallas and Phoenix. With the recent loss still on their minds, they can beat the Jazz. Take Memphis.
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Toronto +159
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