CRAIG DAVIS
30 DIME INDIANA STATE
Derek Mancini
20 Dime Evansville
It's impossible to beat a team 3 times in the same season, right? WRONG! The guys in Vegas know that this is the prevailing perception among bettors, and they're intent on playing them like a fiddle. Guys, Evansville has proven already twice this season that they match up well with the Sycamores, and I don't see much changing on a neutral court.
Purple Aces have gotten little respect this season, and they come into this game getting little respect as well. Yes, I'm well aware they've lost 4 of their L5 games SUATS coming into this contest, but the most important thing is they won their last one, which allows them to come into this game with some confidence back. That includes leading scorer Colt Ryan, who dropped 32 point on Illinois State in that win.
Herein lies the problem for the Sycamores, because while its true they were able to limit Ryan in their two meetings this season, they STILL lost the both games. I don't believe they'll keep him bottled up for a third straight game, especially when you consider he's averaging 28 ppg over his L2 games overall. It was the Aces role players that kept the offense going instead of Ryan, and that bodes well for tonight's match up.
The bottom line is I don't see more than a basket separating these two teams, and in fact, I can easily see Evansville winning this game outright. Indiana State is overvalued because no one expects they'll lose 3 straight to Evansville, and the oddsmakers are also taking into account the Purple Aces slide down the stretch. But in reality the Aces come into this game off a win, and with a ton of confidence knowing they came back to beat the Sycamores already twice this season. Take Evansville plus the points over Indiana State Friday.
Jay McNeil
50 Dime NY Knicks
No possible way Cleveland is in this game by halftime. Honestly, I don't know how the Cavaliers will be in this game at all.
New York is proving to everyone just how profitable the trade for Carmelo Anthony was, and will head into the weekend with a wealth of momentum after blasting the worst team in the league.
The Knicks are in double revenge against Cleveland, who have shocked the Knicks twice this season. That's not going to happen in Madison Square Garden on a Friday night.
I know the Knicks will be without Chauncey Billups, who is listed as doubtful, but the Cavaliers took a recent hit when Antawn Jamison broke his pinky. The Cavs are banged up coming in, and will struggle tonhght.
Lay the home chalk with the Knicks.
Joel Tyson
20 Dime Chicago Bulls
Hats-off to Orlando for not caving in when they found themselves down 73-49 last night in Miami, but I have to believe the Magic may be a bit "gassed" when it comes to tonight's meeting against one of the best in the East in the Chicago Bulls who were idle last night.
Orlando has won their last 4 games, and they have covered in 3 of the 4, but their 1st meeting with Chicago since revamping their lineup did not go favorably for the Magic, as Chicago took a 99-90 decision in the Windy City at the end of January.
The Bulls still have one more stop on this road swing, and it is a marquee matinee on Sunday in Miami, but after losing at Atlanta their last time out to end a 3-game win and cover streak, I expect Chicago to come out with a mission tonight.
Look for the combination of the Magic feeling good about their monster comeback last night, and the fact they have to be a bit fatigued tonight to catch up with them.
Chicago cashes in as my Road Warrior Lock tonight.
Matt Rivers
150,000♦ Philadelphia 76ers
Lay the wood with the 76ers at home over the Timberwolves.
I know Minnesota’s Kevin Love is a becst. But he’s just one player and the Timberwolves have been awful this year despite Love’s continuous string of double-doubles.
Philadelphia has been playing well at home. They are 18-6 SU at the Wells Fargo Center since mid-November and have knocked off some of the better teams in the league during that span.
Minnesota certainly qualifies as a lesser opponent so I have no doubt Philly can win this one by double digits.
The 76ers have had two days off to prepare for this matchup, while this marks the third game in four nights for Minnesota and fourth in the last sixth.
Lay the wood with Philly for the home win and cover.
Mike Neri Sports
3* San Antonio -2
3* Wichita St -12
Dr Bob
3* Wichita St
2* Valporiso
NBA Opinion
PHILADELPHIA (-9) over Minnesota
Philadelphia has been a pointspread roll since early in the season, going 32-16 ATS in their last 48 games, including 16-5 ATS after a loss and 13-3 ATS against teams with a win percentage of .375 or less. During that span the Sixers have won 12 of their 24 home games by 10 points or more and it seems reasonable that they’re likely to win by 10 points or more against a Timberwolves team that is 5 ½ points worse than an average team. Eight of those 24 home games since late November have been against the bottom 10 teams in the league and 7 of those 8 games have been victories by 14 points or more (a decent Charlotte team was the exception). My ratings favor the Sixers by 12 points and a margin analysis favors Philly by 11 points. I’ll lean with Philadelphia minus the points.
California Sports
4* Lakers
4* Indiana St.
3* Akron/Kent Under 138
3* Loyola Mary
Rocketman
4* Mavericks
4* Grizzlies
Larry Ness
8* NY Knicks -12
OK, no one would be surprised that a check of the record books (entering this season) revealed that the Cavs owned an eight-game winning streak over the Knicks. However, how does one explain the fact that Cleveland (11-49) is 2-0 over the Knicks (31-28) this year? The Cavaliers beat the Knicks 109-102 in OT on December 18, the team's LONE win in a 37-game span and then again just last Friday, beat them again 115-109, despite Anthony, Billups and Stoudemire combining for 84 points. I don't think I need to add much more, other than to say, lay the points!
Erin Rynning
Playmaker - Chicago +2
Boston Under 204