Billy Coleman
4* ATL-LAC < 196
3* HOUST ROCKETS +5
4* ARK -3.5
3* MIAMI +7.5
3* TEMPLE -6.5
Insider Sports Report
4* Southern Miss
4* Ball State
3* Northwestern
Las Vegas Sports Advisors
5* Czech Republic -1
4* Atlanta -5 Buying .5 pt
3* Finland -2.5
3* UNLV -3
Vernon Croy
4* Take Toronto ATS
This pick falls into one of my top NBA systems and the Raptors are the better overall team here Wednesday night. Toronto is a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games against a Western Conference opponent and they are also a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games when playing with 3 or more days rest. The Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games and the home team is a perfect 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games between these two teams. I look for the Raptors to pull away in the second half with a double digit win to start their second half campaign. Take Toronto as my NBA Game of the Week for Wednesday night.
RAS
Cal State Fullerton -2
Pacific +1
Trent Citron
10 Units La Tech
8 Units South Carolina
8 Units UAB
6 Units Memphis
6 Units Purdue
DAVID MALINSKY
4* DETROIT +12 over WRIGHT STATE
We have laid out the basics behind calling Detroit a “tough out” several times already this season, and in going 7-1 ATS in an underdog role since that opening night rout at California the Titans are living up to the moniker. They may not always look pretty on the court, but Ray McCallum has a physical group that plays hard, and defends the basket tenaciously. So with a chance to take this many points in a slow tempo game in which the offense is hard-pressed to score, it should be no surprise that we land on this one.
Keyed by the presence of Eli Holman inside (34 blocked shots in 13 conference games), Detroit is allowing just 64.9 points per game in Horizon League play, on 40.1 percent shooting from the field, and having Holman around also means that the perimeter defenders can extend further, which is why they are allowing only 29.7 from 3-point range. Throw in a +4.4 advantage on the boards, and you can see how difficult it becomes to put a margin together against this team – they have not lost a conference game by this spread all season, and that includes already hooking up with Butler twice, while getting a couple of outright road wins brings confidence to this trip, which is buoyed by the energy of that bitter earlier home loss to these Raiders.
Wright State brings the usual solid fundamentals under Brad Brownell, but the Raiders are not gifted with a deep stock of talent. They are averaging just 65.7 in league play on 43.2 percent shooting, and have been out-rebounded through those 13 games. They gutted out a 61-59 road win at Detroit in the first go-round when the Titans missed a pair of shots on the final possession, and it will not be easy for them to generate anything much easier than that – they do not press or push tempo, and when you settle into half-court play against this class of defense, the points come begrudgingly.
KB Hoops
5* Missouri -2 *POD*
4* Ohio State -3
4* Maryland -4.5
3* NorthWestern -7
3* Kansas State -14
3* Colorado -5
KEVIN ROGERS
Rockets at Bucks
Pick: Bucks -5
The Rockets are coming off a tough home loss last night to the Jazz, as Houston hits the road to battle the Bucks. Milwaukee has done extremely well against teams coming off losses in each of their last two games, compiling a 10-3 SU/ATS mark against clubs in that losing funk. Also, the Bucks are 14-4 ATS and 13-5 SU against teams on no rest this season. The Rockets have struggled in many facets recently ATS, including a 2-7 ATS mark as a road underdog. The Bucks fell to the Rockets in overtime in Houston back on MLK day, and have their sights set on the playoffs. I'll lay the points in this spot with Milwaukee to beat Houston.
BRANDON LANG
15 DIME - PHOENIX SUNS
5 DIME - OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
5 DIME - MARYLAND TERRAPINS
FREE PICK - DETROIT PISTONS
Bryan Leonard
NBA Line Value Game of the Month!
Play Memphis
Wunderdog
Minnesota at Washington
3 units Washington -5
Utah at New Orleans
3 units New Orleans +4
Atlanta at Los Angeles Clippers
3 units OVER 196.5
Chuck O'Brien
20 Dime - Maryland
igz1 sports
4* Detroit +11
3* New Orleans +4
3* Washington -5
3* Miami vs New Jersey Under 187.5
Jeff Benton
30 Dime: PHOENIX SUNS
This play shouldn’t surprise you in the least, because for the last several weeks, I’ve been going against the Mavericks every time they play at home. And these numbers will tell you why: Dallas is 1-17 ATS in its last 18 home games. That one spread-cover? It came as a 3½-point home UNDERDOG against the Cavaliers. That means the Mavs have failed to cover in 17 straight games as a home favorite! Think about that for a second: A 17-game non-covering streak when laying points at home. That is almost impossible to believe.
You know the last time Dallas covered a pointspread as a home chalk? Nov. 18, and that was a 99-94 overtime victory over San Antonio as a three-point chalk.
Take away the seven-point upset win over the Cavaliers, and the Mavericks have just one home win by more than five points since Nov. 10 (that was a 9-point victory over Golden State as a 12-point favorite on Feb. 3). And it’s not like they’ve been hosting one playoff team after another. Sure, some of the teams that have visited Dallas recently have been the Lakers, Jazz, Nuggets, Blazers, Cavaliers, Thunder, Spurs and Hawks. But there also have been games against such NBA also-rans as Minnesota, Golden State, Milwaukee, Detroit, Memphis, Houston, New Orleans, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Sacramento.
Phoenix is one of the teams that has walked out of Dallas with a spread-cover this year, as the Suns lost 102-101 as a 4½-point underdog back on Dec. 8. Then at the end of last month, these teams met in Phoenix, and the Suns rallied for a 112-106 win as a two-point home favorite.
That Jan. 28 home win over Dallas sparked a five-game SU and ATS winning streak for the Suns, and after last night’s impressive 14-point win in Memphis, they’re now on a 6-1 SU and ATS winning streak, including 5-0 SU and ATS on the road! Phoenix is also 4-1 ATS in its last five against Southwest Division teams and it has cashed in seven of its last 10 as a small underdog (less than five points). Compare that with the Mavericks, who suffered a 13-point loss at Oklahoma City last night, so in addition to their 1-17 ATS slump at home (0-17 ATS as a home favorite), they’re in pointspread slumps of 7-20 overall, 2-6 when playing on back-to-back nights and 0-5 against opponents that have a winning overall record.
Bottom line: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, until Dallas proves it can cover a pointspread as a home favorite, I’m going to keep going against them, regardless of the opponent. And in this case, when it’s a quality opponent like Phoenix, this is as big a no-brainer as it gets. Take the points – but don’t be surprised if the Suns win this thing outright (after all, Dallas is just 3-4 SU in its last seven home games).