Doug Upstone
Dallas at Montreal
Play: Over 5
Look for both teams to get to at least two goals Tuesday night, coming off road games yesterday. Lack of time to prepare and tired legs lead to scoring chances. Montreal is a bit banged up too, they may be without three defensemen tonight. Play the over 5 in Montreal Tuesday.
Dave Price
Indiana Pacers -11½
This is the start of what will likely be another very long season for the Orlando Magic, which finished a league-worst 20-62 last season. The Pacers are 2-0 SU and ATS in the last two meetings with wins of 29 and 22. The 22-point win came in the most recent meeting at home where the Pacers are 3-0 SU and ATS in the last three meetings. The other two home wins came by 15 and 18 points. The Pacers have been one tough cookie at home where they are 8-1 ATS in their last nine games. The Magic, on the other hand, have been weak on the road where they are 1-17 SU (6-12 ATS) in their last 18 against conference opponents. Lay the points.
Steve Janus
Magic/Pacers Over 188
The Pacers are one of the more defensive minded teams in the league, but I don't expect them to lay it all on the line in the opener. I also think people underestimate how good Indiana is on offense. All of this has the public jumping all over the under in this matchup.
Indiana is clearly the better team and should jump out to a comfortable lead that will take away from the defensive intensity. I look for the Pacers to clear the century mark and the Magic to finish in the low to mid 90's. Orlando allowed 101.1 ppg last year and I don't see any reason why that number will get better with the roster they have.
SPORTS WAGERS
L.A.Clippers -8½ over L.A. LAKERS
The Purple and Gold banners will be in full view for tonight’s opener but the Clippers are just as comfortable in this arena as the Lakers and there is a huge discrepancy in talent right across the board in the Clippers favor. The 2005-06 pairing of Steve Nash and Pau Gasol would have been a sight to behold. The 2013-14 version is pretty pedestrian. The Lakers' postseason hopes hinge on the speedy and effective return of one Kobe Bean Bryant. Anything less will leave Los Angeles with a season just as frustrating as the last one, although it won't have Dwight Howard to blame this time. But don't worry, Nick Young's shot selection should give everyone enough to talk about. The Lakers are old, weak and not very threatening.
Vinny Del Negro gets replaced by Doc Rivers. That’s a huge upgrade for the Clip Joint. HUGE. Rivers made the right decision to bail on Beantown for the chance at a championship with the Clippers. Rivers is all business and no bull and should easily be able to get Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to take their games to the next level. Rivers also has a bench as good as some teams' starters, the best PG in the league in Chris Paul and more than enough firepower to put some beatings on teams like the Lakers. The first game of the year is an opportunity to make a statement and the Clip Joint figure to do just that. This is a complete mismatch in every way.
SPORTS WAGERS
Tampa Bay +102 over NEW JERSEY
OT included. With Ben Bishop going up against Martin Brodeur and the Lightning taking back a tag, this becomes and automatic play for us. We’ll continue to fade Brodeur as long as the Devils keep using him and that’s all there is to it. It sure doesn’t hurt that the Bolts are 8-3 overall and that includes a 3-1 road record.
The Devils are coming off an unlikely come from behind victory in Boston but the truth is the B’s quit in that game. We get a huge edge in net, the better team in better form and a small tag to boot. That’s a play will make every time when there is no situational favor for either team. If this one happens to go to OT, our chances increase dramatically as well.
PHILADELPHIA -½ +150 over Anaheim
Regulation only/3-way betting line. The Ducks continue to rack up wins and now sit at 9-3 on the year after defeating the Jackets on Sunday night. That was the Ducks fourth straight road game and second straight win on their current eight-game trip. No question the Ducks are playing well but their injury crisis figures to impact them hard, especially on a grueling eight-game trip. Anaheim lost two centers last week in Mathieu Perreault and Saku Koivu. They join Jakob Silfverberg, Matt Beleskey and Dustin Penner on the rack. Those are five key players that all get plenty of minutes that somebody has to make up for.
The Flyers have zero injuries. They’ve also won two straight and finally went off in their last game on Long Island by scoring five times with Vinny LeCavalier netting the hat-trick. The Flyers are most certainly on our radar. This is one of the most undervalued teams in hockey. Steve Mason has been extremely solid in net and has been given #1 status. The Flyers have allowed the fewest goals against in their division this season (27), third-fewest in the entire Eastern Conference and sixth-fewest in the NHL. Offensively, the Flyers were creating plenty of chances but the puck was not going in until last game. That could open the floodgates because there is too much talent up front for this team to be held to two goals or less every game. In the back-end, Mark Streit, Erik Gustaffson, Kimo Timonen and Luke Schenn make up a group that can move the puck out as efficiently as any defense in the league. As long as the goaltending holds up, the Flyers are going to the playoffs and still offer up huge profit potential because of their slow start. We’ll continue to play them as long as the market keeps offering up prices like this.
Dallas +146 over MONTREAL
NOTE: This is only a play if Kari Lehtonen is in net. If Dan Ellis gets the start, this wager will not stand.
Regulation only. Montreal completely shut down the Rangers lifeless offense last night but still only managed one goal until late in the third when they added an insurance goal. It was a solid road game by the Canadiens and one they deserved to win. However, they were taking back a small tag in that one and take on a different role here by laying a big tag and that makes the Stars worthy of strong consideration.
Dallas also played last night in Buffalo and a win over that team is nothing to get excited about. In fact, the Stars built a 4-1 lead early in the second period and instead of putting Buffalo away, Dallas allowed the offensively challenged Sabres back in it. That’s not a good sign but they regrouped in the third and maintained their one-goal lead for the remainder of the game. That is a good sign. Despite winning last night, Dallas was not that impressive but they’ve been very impressive in several other contests this season. As a significant pooch and playing in Montreal, the Stars offer up nothing but value here against a Montreal team that has dropped three of its last four at the Bell Center and is still dealing with numerous injuries to key personnel. Overlay.
EZWINNERS
Chicago Bulls +2.5 (1st Half)
Its "Ring Night" for the Heat who are 1-1 against the spread in these games and the defending league champion is only 4-7 against the spread the last eleven years. This game means so much more to the Bulls than it does the Heat. There are a lot of distractions for Miami in this game due to the ring ceremony and they are facing a Bulls team that has its star back and is very hungry. Joakim Noah who is the heart and soul of the Bulls team stated as so. "Every time you play against Miami it's a statement [game]," Noah said. "It's the beginning of our season, we're a hungry group. We've been waiting for this game for a long time. It's one of 82 but we know every time we play against Miami it's important." The Bulls are healthy and Noah who had been suffering a groin injury will play for Chicago. I expect the Bulls to come out with a lot of energy early and for Derrick Rose to look like his old self. Take the points in the first half.
Alex Smith Sports
Los Angeles Kings vs Phoenix Coyotes
Pick: Phoenix Coyotes
The Coyotes are out for revenge tonight as the LA Kings visit the desert, just 5 days after they were blown out 7-4 at the Staples Center. Phoenix rebounded nicely with a 5-4 win over Edmonton on Saturday, who then played the Kings the next night and dropped a 2-1 shootout decision on Sunday. Despite the Kings’ recent success against their division foe (LA has won 4 of the last 6 games against Phoenix) Phoenix has the better Power Play, scoring at least 1 goal in their last 3, while the Kings have taken 19 penalties in the last 4 games and allowed 5 goals with a man short in that same span. I like the ‘Yotes to exact their revenge and expand their 4-0-1 Home Record with a victory tonight
Ken Thomson
Clippers / Lakers Over 199.5
The Lakers are praying Kobe Bryant's treatment in Germany bodes well for his return to stardom for the Lakers. I don't anticipate him being back until Christmas. That means Gasol, Nash and Company will be up against it on a nightly basis. L.A. is still Laker town but with Doc Rivers now coaching the Clips the Lakers may lose fair weathered fans if they struggle. The Clippers are loaded and Doc will push Chris Paul to be the best he can be. Mix in Crawford, Griffin, Jordan, Dudley and you have plenty of offense. I anticipate J.J. Redick having a bunch of open looks in the early going with good ball movement by his mates keying those looks. He will knock them down and this team will be hard pressed not to make it to the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers will try and be as exciting as possible and that means running and scoring so even when they lose they have good offensive numbers. This game should reach 205 plus unless Doc takes the air out of the ball which I don't see happening! Clips 109 Lakers 99
Ken Thomson
Clippers / Lakers Over 199.5
The Lakers are praying Kobe Bryant's treatment in Germany bodes well for his return to stardom for the Lakers. I don't anticipate him being back until Christmas. That means Gasol, Nash and Company will be up against it on a nightly basis. L.A. is still Laker town but with Doc Rivers now coaching the Clips the Lakers may lose fair weathered fans if they struggle. The Clippers are loaded and Doc will push Chris Paul to be the best he can be. Mix in Crawford, Griffin, Jordan, Dudley and you have plenty of offense. I anticipate J.J. Redick having a bunch of open looks in the early going with good ball movement by his mates keying those looks. He will knock them down and this team will be hard pressed not to make it to the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers will try and be as exciting as possible and that means running and scoring so even when they lose they have good offensive numbers. This game should reach 205 plus unless Doc takes the air out of the ball which I don't see happening! Clips 109 Lakers 99
Joe Gavazzi
Indiana Pacers -11.5
It was a pathetic 20-62 SU season for Orlando last year. There will no doubt be improvement from that mark with some strong additions to the lineup including rookie Oladipo. But the Magic begin the season with injury problems to quality big men Davis and Vucevic. The Pacers won the last two meetings of the season between these two winning by 19 and 22 points. The Magic were 19-10 ATS as a road dog of 6 or more points last year. But that was when teams were looking past them. No such luck on opening night against an Indiana team who returns in tact with the idea that nothing less than an NBA title will be satisfactory.
LT Profits
Orlando vs Indiana
Pick : Over 188
The Indiana Pacers came within one game of reaching the NBA Finals last year, taking the eventual champion Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals, and a team that was fueled by great defense added some decent firepower off the bench in the off-season. The Pacers may now show off that improved offense opening night vs. the young Orlando Magic, a team than lost 66 games last season while allowing 101.1 points per game on 46.3 percent shooting. The Pacers went out an acquired Luis Scola and Chris Copeland, both upgrades offensively from what they had on the bench last year. Add in the expected continued development of Paul George into the next big superstar in the NBA and that improved offense makes Indiana a legitimate championship contender. The ‘over’ is 9-3 in the Pacers’ last 12 home games.
Chicago vs Miami
Pick : Heat -4.5
The Chicago Bulls welcome back Derrick Rose this season, as he plays his first meaningful game tonight since tearing his ACL in the first game of the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Rose looked great during the preseason too, and that makes the Bulls a popular choice to unseat the Miami Heat as NBA Champions. Unfortunately for the Bulls, LeBron James has read those same press clippings, which should only help motivate him even more tonight. Remember that Miami is bringing back basically the same team that won its second straight championship last season with the exception of Mike Miller, who was not part of the rotation for much of the season anyway. We look for Miami to make a statement on opening night and remind the Bulls which of there teams is seeking its fourth straight NBA Finals appearance. The Bulls are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games vs. the Southeast Division.