Jeff Alexander
1 Unit on Suns/Nets UNDER 206.5
Plays Under on road teams (PHOENIX) when the total is greater than or equal to 200, provided they are coming off a road win in which they scored 110 or more points and are playing 4 or less games in 10 days, are 30-8 the last 5 seasons. We are only seeing an average of 199.3 total points scored in this situation. Last month, New Jersey gave up 118 points in a loss at Phoenix. This is key because the Nets are an impressive 15-5 Under in home games when out to avenge a loss in which it allowed an opponent to score 110 points or more the last 3 seasons. We are only seeing an average of 196.6 total points scored in this situation. Bet the Under.
SPORTS WAGERS
UTAH +4½/+162 over Boston
Not sure what the Celtics were thinking when they traded Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. Despite Green and Krstic being decent players, they’ll never have the impact on the outcome of a game as much as Perkins will. Perkins was not the best player on the Celtics roster but he was the most important to their chances at winning a title this season. He’s one of the best young centers in the league who specializes in defending the paint and that’s huge. The Jazz now have an edge inside. They’re a better rebounding team anyway and the loss of Perkins leaves a big hole up the middle for the C’s. The Celtics are still a good team but the impact of losing Perkins has not been felt yet after wins over the Clip Joint and Golden State. The C’s did however, get buried in Denver and will now play its fourth straight on the road. The Jazz situation is rocky to be sure. They looked like true contenders early on but then the wheels fell off and that’s an understatement. Still, they’ve always been tough at home and now that the dust has somewhat settled from Jerry Sloan “walking away” and Deron Williams being traded, the Jazz can focus on the task at hand. They still have quality players and Devin Harris in place of Williams is no slouch. C’s will feel the impact of getting robbed soon enough and a loss here is certainly a distinct possibility. Play: Utah +4½ (Risking 1.05 units to win 1) Play: Utah +162 (Risking 1 unit).
NEW JERSEY +119 over Phoenix
As a four-point favorite over the Raps on Friday night, the public cashed in big when Phoenix destroyed Toronto. Yesterday, those same folks or many of them cashed in on the Suns again when they won straight up in Indiana getting 4½-points. The Suns will go for what looks like the easy trifecta when they play the reeling Nets in a game they’re once again going to attract a lot of attention. The oddsmakers fully knew that by opening the lone at Phoenix –2, they would attract a ton of money on the chalk. Thus far that has come to pass, as the Suns are up to –2½ and the public isn’t done yet. You can handicap these games until you’re blue in the face if you like but it won’t matter. The right side here is the Nets because the line strongly suggests so. Of course that doesn’t guarantee anything but when you’re on the same side as the house you’re usually in pretty good shape and with the Suns winning an emotional game in Indiana yesterday and with the Celtics on deck, the books are begging you to lay the points. Don’t bite. Play: New Jersey +119 (Risking 2 units).
Passing NHL & NCAAB