Maddux Sports
10 Units Wash-Dallas Under 195.5
10 Units Cleve-Miami Under 200.5
10 Units Texas A&M +1
Ben Burns
Bucks / Clippers Under 189
I'm playing on Milwaukee and LA to finish UNDER the total. After going through a stretch of high-scoring games, the Clippers have seen each of their last two games stay below the total. Those games averaged 185 combined points. Facing one of the league's best defensive teams, one which is also "offensively-challenged," I expect another relatively low-scoring affair.
Note that the Clippers are currently without their leading scorer, Eric Gordon. As for the Bucks, they got their leading scorer (Brandon Jennings) back last game. However, Jennings missed all three of his shots and managed only two free throws in 11 minutes off the bench. It'll likely take some time before he returns to 100%. Also, their second leading scorer (John Salmons) has missed the last seven games and is questionable again here.
The Bucks check in allowing a mere 92.8 points per game. That's the fourth best mark in the league. Unfortunately, for Milwaukee fans, the Bucks are averaging only 91.7 points on offense - the worst mark in the league.
The combination of good defense and bad offense has led to the Bucks seeing the UNDER go 26-18-1 (or 26-19) for the season. That includes a highly profitable 14-5-1 mark in their games against teams from the Western Conference.
Its also worth noting that the Bucks have seen the UNDER go 14-6 the last 20 times that they played a road game with a line in the +3.5 to +6 range. During that stretch, the Clippers have seen the UNDER go 9-5 when listed as home favorites in the -3.5 to -6 range. I expect those stats to improve here.
The Duke's Sports
Memphis (+2) for 2.5 Units
Hats off to the Grizzlies' front office for assembling an outstanding lineup with solid production across the board. And we believe that the Grizzlies' Gasol and Randolph can match Dwight Howard in points and rebounds. Moreover, Mike Conley is turning into a premier point guard in the league and Rudy Gay's versatility hurts most opponents. Orlando has had trouble in Memphis at 1-7 ATS; moreover, the Magic fall flat as a small road favorite at 1-6 ATS. Furthermore, Orlando, which is coming off lightweight Cleveland last night, sports a poor 4-8 ATS mark unrested. We'll back Memphis.
Matt Fargo
10* Bucks / Clippers Over 188.5
10* Texas A&M +1.5
9* Denver Nuggets -3
Jeff Benton
5 Dime Texas
Well aware that the Longhorns haven’t won in College Station since 2004, dropping six in a row at Texas A&M, and haven’t covered in eight straight visits to the Aggies’ gym. Also well aware that the home team has owned this series (while Texas A&M has won six in a row at home, Texas has won nine straight meetings in Austin), and that last year’s 74-58 home win over the Longhorns started the Aggies’ current 14-game winning streak
But here’s the thing: Those facts are the ONLY positives for Texas A&M coming into this game. Consider this:
Texas, ranked 7th in the country, is 18-3 overall and an unbelievable 13-3 against the number (tops in the country). On Jan. 8, the Longhorns wrapped up the non-conference season with a heartbreiaking 82-81 home loss to Texas as an 8½-point favorite, and all they’ve done since then is rip off six straight Big 12 wins and covers, posting victories by point margins of 21, 20, 11, 15, 13 and 21. The latter 21-point win? That came back on Jan. 19, when Texas spanked the Aggies 81-60 and easily cashed as a 6½-point underdog.
So what’s been the key to Texas jumping out to its best Big 12 start in history, crushing league rivals by an average of 18.5 ppg? Defense. The Longhorns are holding opponents to a league-best 54.2 ppg; only Kansas (63) has scored more than 60 on Texas. So even though the Aggies have lit up the home scoreboard against Texas the last six years (75.8 ppg), they haven’t faced a defense quite like this one!
Besides, only once in the last eight games (a 71-48 home win over Oklahoma State) has A&M cracked 70 points in regulation. And over the last three games, the Aggies have scored 60 (loss at Texas), 64 and 48 points. Not this, too: Through six Big 12 contests, Texas A&M has been outrebounded just twice. Once was in a 91-89 overtime win over Missouri, which had just a scant 33-32 edge on the glass. The other time? At Texas, where the Aggies got out-boarded 31-23!
The Longhorns have been a big-time moneymaker in these Big Monday showdowns (28-12 ATS last 40), and they’ve cashed in five straight road games and four straight against winning teams. And, to repeat, among the 300 Division I college basketball teams, none has a better poindspread record than Texas’ 13-3 ATS mark.
Bottom line: Texas hasn’t won a conference game by fewer than 11 points all season, and even though they’re going into hostile territory where they’ve had a lengthy history of problems, to get the Longhorns at a pick-em price is a bargain I can’t pass up. After all, if they can end Kansas’ 69-game home-court winning streak with a 74-63 win, they can snap A&M’s 14-game home-court winning streak.
Jimmy Boyd
3* Wizards +10
3* Texas A&M +1.5
PPP
4% Texas A&M
Underdog Hotline
Texas A&M+1
Ben Burns
Memphis Grizzlies +2
Bucks/ Clippers Under 189
Texas A&M +1½
Raptors/ Pacers Under 209½
Charlie's Sports
500* Parlay Nets+3.5 / Raptors Over 210
30* Georgetown-4.5
20* Orlando-2
10* Milwaukee Bucks +4