Evan Altemus
New Orleans -7.5
This game is a big revenge situation for New Orleans, as they were blown out by Sacramento
just a few games ago. New Orleans has star point guard Chris Paul back from injury, and
the team played well in his first game back against Minnesota. The Hornets have played
well at home, while the Kings have been horrendous on the road. Sacramento's biggest
has been their horrible defense. They have given up triple digits in all but two of their
road games this season, and that streak should continue again on Tuesday. The Hornets and
Chris Paul have had several days to prepare for this game, and I expect them to come out
with a very focused effort against a team that has been horrible on the road all season.
Look for New Orleans to get a blowout home win with a healthy Paul.
3 UNIT SELECTION HORNETS
Bob Balfe
Celtics
Tony George
San Jose St -4
Better in every single category, offense, defense, rebounding, depth, and a solid frontcourt, I have SJSU winning this by 10 points against a team in the Dons that have just been waxed their last 6 games. A total mismatch And look for guard Adrian Oliver to have a huge game and for center Chris Oakes to own the boards for SJSU.
Play 1 Unit on San Jose State
Lenny Del Genio
Charlotte -3
This looks like a tough matchup for the first-place Nuggets. Charlotte started the season by going 6-2 ATS at home while holding foes to a league best 88 PPG. Last Friday, the Bobcats suffered an embarrassing loss to the previously winless Nets, but quickly rebounded with a home victory over the equally pathetic Sixers. Over the last two seasons, they are 22-7 ATS when coming off a home win. Meanwhile, what makes this so tough for the Nuggets is that this will be their third road game in four nights. They are 110-147 ATS when playing on BB nights, 8-18 ATS if they were a road favorite in their previous game and 59-84 ATS away from home coming off BB ATS wins. Since 1996, NBA road teams playing their third road game in four nights off 4 or more SU wins are just 48-85 ATS. Denver is 0-3 ATS this season in game where they are favored by or getting less than three points. Take Charlotte.
BLACK WIDOW
6* Widow Wiseguy NBA Road Warrior of the Month on Sacramento Kings +9
The Sacramento Kings continue getting little respect from odds makers. This team is scoring 104.8 points/game and only getting outscored by 0.6 points/game on the season. The Hornets are getting outscored by 3.7 points/game on the year, and and this team shouldn't be getting as much respect as they are. The Kings are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games overall this season. Sacramento is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after playing a home game this season. The Hornets are 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) when the total is 200 to 209.5 over the last 2 seasons. N ew O rle ans is 4-18 ATS (-15.8 Units) versus terrible defensive teams - allowing 103+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. Sacramento is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season. Take the Kings and the points.
5* Wiseguy CBB Game of the Night on Temple -3.5
The 6-2 Temple Owls travel to 2-5 Miami (Ohio) tonight in what figures to be an absolute mismatch in the road teams' favor. Temple already has 3 road wins this season, thanks in large part to tremendous defensive effort as they are allowing just 55.4 points/game through five road games. The Redhawks are not playing good defense this year as Miami (Ohio) allows 70.6 points/game on the season. Temple is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) as a road favorite or pick over the last 3 seasons. The Owls are 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) after 2 straight games giving up 9 or less offensive rebounds over the last 3 seasons. We'll side with the better defensive team tonight in what should be a one-sided affair. Take Temple and lay the points.
4* on Denver Nuggets -3
Pretty easy choice here as the Nuggets are clearly the better team with a 16-5 record this season, and they are just a small favorite to beat the 8-11 Bobcats. The Nuggets are at full strength right now with K en yon M art in returning to the lineup, and also J.R. Smith contributing key minutes that they didn't have from him early in the year. As a result, Denver is 8-1 SU and 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall. The Nuggets are 41-21 ATS (+17.9 Units) after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games over the last 2 seasons. The Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Eastern Conference foes. The Bobcats are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Northwest division opponents. Take Denver and lay the points.
Craig Davis
25 Dime - BUTLER BULLDOGS
So far, this is the best college basketball game I've seen since the season started for two reasons. First, I think the line is just low enough for a neutral site game that it's begging you to take Georgetown. Secondly, while Butler has been busy playing teams like Clemson, Minnesota, UCLA and Northwestern (all from big conferences), Georgetown has been beating up on American U, Mount Saint Mary's (no, not the good St. Mary's), Lafayette, and Savannah State.
It's pretty simple if you ask me... the Hoyas have yet to be really challenged. The only legitimate competition they've had thus far has been Temple, a game in which they won 46-45 as a 10-point favorite. They couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in that game and if Temple had been able to shoot even 34% in that game, they would have walked out of the Verizon Center as a winner. Georgetown, when actually faced with a team that had a pulse, was taken to the wire and was forced to play poorly enough to lose. The Hoyas shot just 35% from the field, 16% from three-point land, and 65% from the free throw line in that game, and I believe that's what will happen to this offense when they play a legitimate, ranked opponent like Butler tonight.
The Bulldogs come in off just their second home game of the season, having beaten both Davidson and Valpo rather handily. The rest of their games have been either road games or neutral site games, and the competition they've faced has been murderous compared to Georgetown's. A one-point loss to a very good Clemson team that will challenge Duke, Wake, and UNC for the ACC title. A two-point win over a struggling, yet respectable UCLA squad with a ton of potential, and a very good Minnesota team that will finish in the top 5 of the emerging Big 10 Conference. Their three true road games were all wins... over Northwestern, Ball State and Evansville.
When you compare these two schedules, it's not even close. Georgetown hasn't even really been challenged all season, having played four straight non-lined games since November 21st. You can call that smart scheduling if you'd like, but I call it setting this team up for failure. Butler is already battle-tested... Georgetown is not. This game could easily come down to a battle at the line, and my money is all over the Butler Bulldogs who shoot 75% from the stripe as opposed to Georgetown's 67% (50% away from home).
Butler returns every single player from last year's team that won the Horizon Conference, including Conference Player of the Year Matt Howard. Howard averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds per game last year, but he knows he doesn't have to do it himself. The Bulldogs had four players in double figures in their last win including sophomore F Gordon Hayward (13 PPG last year) and sophomore G Shelvin Mack (12 PPG last year). This team is deep, experienced, and very disciplined... it's no surprise they are picked to win the conference again this year, and it's definitely not a surprise we find them in the top 25.
The wrong team is favored here boys... the wrong team is favored. Bulldogs by 5-7 easily.
DONNIE BLACK
Western Conf Game of the Year
20* Nashville +100
ATS LOCK CLUB
4 Units Illinois
4 Units Butler Under
3 Units BYU
Power Play Wins
Dayton -3.5
Seabass
50* Memphis
50* Dallas
100* Steam Charlotte
50* Vandy
50* N. Iowa
50* Vancouver
Eric Degarde
1* Miami-Ohio Under 118
1* Kansas St -6.5
Kevin Rogers
T'Wolves at Raptors
Pick: T'Wolves +8.5
The Raptors return home after winning consecutive road games over the Wizards and Bulls, as Toronto hosts lowly Minnesota. The Wolves have played much better recently, pulling off wins over the Nuggets and Jazz in the last ten days. Minnesota has covered four straight, as they are slowly playing better basketball despite a weak record. Both Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani sat out practice on Monday with injuries, but are expected to play. The Raptors are 7-14 ATS since the start of last season off back-to-back games, including a 1-9 ATS mark at home. I'll take the points with Minnesota.
Ron Meyer
15* Butler (+3) over Georgetown
10* Dayton (-3½) over George Mason
5*Arizona State (+7½) over BYU
Beatyourbookie
100* Sacramento
DESTROY THE BOOK SPORTS
5* Philly-160
5* Dallas/Ana Over 5.5