Rob Vinciletti
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Play: Memphis Grizzlies +3.5
Memphis comes in off an upset loss in New Jersey. That loss sets them up in one of their more profitable situations this season. Memphis is 8-0 ats off a straight up favored loss. They have covered 16 of 22 as a dog this season and have also covered all 5 times off 3 or more road games. Look for the Grizzlies to give the Sixers all they can handle here tonight. Take Memphis as a live dog tonight.
Ray Monohan
Washington Wizards vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Play: Oklahoma City Thunder -10½
The Thunder have won five straight at home, covering the spread in all but one of those victories. They are now Up to first place in the Northwest Division and chasing the Los Angeles Lakers for second in the Western Conference. The Washington Wizards are 0-21 on the road this season. Youngster Nick Young and big man Andray Blatche have played well this season, overshadowing No. 1 overall pick John Wall, but that hasn’t been enough to stop Washington from losing four of its last five games. The Thunder are fresh off a thrilling, 118-117 overtime win at Minnesota earlier this week. Some supporting trends I love for this one. Thunder are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 Friday games. Thunder are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Thunder are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400. Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games. Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a SU win. Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5. This will mark the first meeting between the teams this season. Oklahoma City took both matchups last season. The last time the Thunder won by 14.
EZWINNERS
Fairfield Stags -20.5
Manhattan is having a terrible season. Just how bad are things in Manhattan? The Jaspers are 3-17 this season and suffered through a fifteen game losing streak which was the longest single season losing streak in program history and tied a fifteen game slide the Jaspers experienced over three seasons, from the 1919-20 campaign into the 1921-22 season. The Jaspers find themselves at the bottom of the Metro Atlantic Athletic conference and they won't catch a break in this game because Fairfield is having an excellent season. The Stags are 15-4 this season and lead the MAAC thanks to a suffocating defense. The Stags are number two in the country in scoring defense and are yielding just 54.8 points per game which is second only to Stephen F. Austin's 54.0 points per game and ahead of Wisconsin's 56.0 points per game. Fairfield is 18-4 against the spread in their last twenty two MAAC conference games and I look for them to wipeout the Jaspers. Lay the points.
Tony Stoffo
Bucks vs. Raptors
Play: Under 192.5
Top Rated NBA Trend Play for Friday 1/28 Milwaukee at Toronto Trend analysis points towards a low scoring game and a recommendation on the Under. Under is 5-0 in Bucks last 5 games as a favorite of 0.5-4.5. Under is 9-1 in Bucks last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400. Under is 5-1 in Raptors last 6 games playing on 1 days rest. Under is 7-2 in Raptors last 9 games. Under is 6-1-1 in the last 8 meetings in Toronto between the Bucks and Raptors.
Black Widow
1* on Boston Celtics -3.5
The Boston Celtics are clearly the superior team in this match-up with Phoenix and will have no problem taking care of the struggling Suns in blowout fashion. Phoenix is 0-3 SU & 0-3 ATS in their last 3 games, getting beaten by losing teams in the Pistons, 76ers and Bobcats. The Suns have not had much of a home-court advantage at all this season where they are 11-10, while the Celtics are 13-7 on the road. The Suns are 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) off a home loss this season. Phoenix clearly got the worst end of their blockbuster trade that involved the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards, as Vince Carter has been a huge disappointment. His 22 points in a loss to the Bobcats Wednesday were four shy of his total from the previous four games, when he shot 25.0 percent from the floor and 4 of 17 from beyond the arc. The Suns are 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 home games. The Celtics are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a road favorite of 0.5-4.5. Take Boston and lay the points.
Jack Jones
Chicago Bulls +1
I'll gladly take the Chicago Bulls as my free pick Friday as a home underdog to the Orlando Magic. Considering how well Chicago has played at home this season, there's no way they should be an underdog to any team in the league. The Bulls are 21-4 SU & 14-10-1 ATS in all home games this season. They are scoring 98.9 PPG on 46.6% shooting and allowing 89.4 PPG on 40.9% shooting at home this year. Doing the math, the Bulls are outscoring opponents by 9.5 PPG on their home floor. Orlando is an unimpressive 13-10 SU & 9-13-1 ATS on the road this season.
Carlos Boozer recently returned to the line-up for Chicago which puts them at near full strength. This team comes in very fresh playing with 3 days' rest and looking to avenge their most lopsided loss of the season. Chicago has not forgotten their 107-78 drubbing at the hands of the Magic on the road on December 1, which was the debut game for Boozer. The Bulls are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 3 or more days rest. Chicago is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games as a home underdog of 0.5-4.5. The Bulls are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. The Magic are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Bet Chicago Friday.
Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Kings/Lakers UNDER 200
Play Under on all teams when the total is 200 to 209.5 (LA LAKERS), good shooting team (45.5-47.5%) against a poor defensive team (allowing 45.5-47.5% shooting), after a game where they made 55% of their shots or better, are 38-12 since 1996. We have only see an average of 196.6 total points scored in this situation the last 15 years. In addition, the Lakers are a perfect 11-0 Under when playing against a terrible team (Win Pct. <=25%) over the last 2 seasons. We are only seeing 190.5 total points scored on average in these games. Lastly, it is also worth noting that the Lakers are 9-1 Under as a favorite of 10 or more points this season. We are only seeing an average of 194.3 total points scored in these games. Bet the Under.
Steve Janus
2* Pistons +10.5
The Heat are still playing without Chris Bosh, and are just 1-5 in their last six games. Miami is coming off a tough loss at New York last night, and I have a hard time seeing this team getting up to play the Pistons, especially with Sunday's matchup against Oklahoma City just around the corner.
Miami is just 7-19-2 ATS in their last 28 games following a S.U. loss, and are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. The Heat are also just 4-13 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more points over the last 2 seasons.
Detroit is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 vs. Eastern Conference, and are 8-1 ATS off a home loss this season.
Dave Price
1 Unit on Pistons/Heat OVER 191
We only saw 169 total points scored when these two teams faced off last month as the Heat held Detroit to just 72 points. Having just played a tough one in New York last night, Miami won't have the legs to lock down the Pistons like that again. Plus, plays Over on all teams when the total is between 190 and 199.5 points (DETROIT), revenging a road blowout loss of 20 points or more to an opponent and coming off a home loss, are 81-40 since 1996. Teams fitting into this situation have combined with their opponent to score an average of 200.9 total points. Miami has been over the total in 7 of its last 9 and because it was so poor at the offensive end last night, we can expect a much better offensive performance from LeBron James and company this evening. Take the Over.
Info Plays
3* Pistons/Heat OVER 191
Reasons why Pistons/Heat will go OVER:
1) Play over - all teams where the total is between 190 and 199.5 points (Pistons) - revenging a road blowout loss vs opponent of 20 points or more, off a home loss, as its 81-40 since 1996.
2) Miami is 14-4 OVER when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 25% to 40%) - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
3) Detroit is 6-2 OVER in last 8 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
MTI Sports
Knicks at Hawks
Prediction: Over
The Hawks are 6-0 OU (14.2 ppg) at home with at most one day of rest off a loss in which they led at the end of each of the first three quarters. The Knicks are 6-0 OU (16.1 ppg) as a dog off a home win in which they trailed at the end of each of the first three quarters. Consider these two OVER the total.
OC Dooley
Detroit +3
I have learned that Wisconsin-Milwaukee has 3 different ailing guards Jerrord Ajami (knee), Lonna Boga (ankle) and Ja’Rob McCallum (eye laceration) who most likely will NOT be able to play this evening, which is certainly going to hurt the host team’s depth. Wisconsin-Milwaukee is also in a classic emotional “letdown” spot after just upsetting Butler outright as a massive 14-point road underdog. Speaking of the team that stormed to last year’s NCAA Title game, Detroit was humiliated earlier this month by Butler 87-63 in a contest that just happened to be played on this very day of the week, which makes this a “Friday revenge” to speak for the visiting side. Detroit has 5 different players averaging “double digits” on the scoreboard giving them a balanced scoring attack. In addition Detroit center Eli Holman leads the entire Horizon League with 10 different “double doubles” in both scoring and rebounding. Getting back to the “revenge” angle Wisconsin-Milwaukee won on the road in a tight 84-81 high scoring thriller at Detroit on New Year’s Day when most of the country’s attention was on college football postseason Bowl games. It is interesting that “round two” of this season series would feature a 3-point line and I for one feel that Detroit will get their revenge against a banged-up opponent