Free NBA release for 2/29: Toronto Raptors +3.5 over New Orleans. The Hornets should not be favored in this matchup tonight with the Raptors. This game should be lined as a pickem at best. Toronto is only 10-24 on the season. But they have been one of the NBAs most profitable teams in the month of February, going 9-2-1 ATS in their last 13 games. New Orleans checks in at 8-26 SU on the year, and just 17-17 at the window. They've covered in 7 straight with last nights 4 point loss in Chicago. But the Hornets are one of the worst teams when favored, going 0-5 at the window in their last five games when laying points. Statistically, the Raptors outscore and outrebound the Hornets. But more importantly, Toronto is much deeper on the bench, which is key in back-to-back games like this. Toronto is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on no rest, and 10-4 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400. The Raptors are also 4-0 ATS, and 3-1 SU in the last four meetings with the Hornets, and 8-1 ATS in their last 9 trips to New Orleans. The Hornets are just 1-5 ATS in their last six at home. We'll side with the road dog here, Toronto +3.5. Our free plays are now 168-90-1 overall. Sign up today at www.iseewinners.com to receive the best free basketball picks on the internet via email. Thank you, and best of luck tonight.
SPORTS WAGERS
EDMONTON +115 over St. Louis
The Blues are a .500 hockey team on the road and they've been hovering around that mark all season long. St. Louis will play its fourth game of a seven games trip here after games in Nashville, Winnipeg and Calgary. They're an unlikely 3-0 so far on this expedition after a fortunate OT win in Nashville and even more so in Winnipeg, a game in which they were outshot 41-16. Overall on this trip, the Blue Notes have managed 24, 16 and 24 shots on net respectively and those are Minnesota Wild-like numbers. A 3-0 trip could get them to relax a bit here considering that they play in Vancouver tomorrow night. The game against the Canucks is a greater barometer as to how they measure up against the elite for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Oilers have quietly put together a good string of games. They've won three of their last four with only loss over that span coming against the February undefeated Coyotes (11-0-1). In those three wins against Calgary, Philly and Winnipeg, Edmonton outscored them 13-4. The Oilers are healthy, they're scoring goals and they probably catch the Blues in what is likely their most vulnerable spot of this seven-game trip. Play: Edmonton +115 (Risking 2 units).
CHICAGO -½ -104 over Toronto
It’s not news that this Maple Leaf team is a train wreck right now and until something changes, we can’t help but fade them until something changes. It was deja vu all over again last night for the Leafs, as they fell behind 2-0 less than four minutes into the game. The Leafs were literally booed out of town and couldn't board that getaway plane fast enough. Escaping Hogtown is the good news. The bad news is that they lost their last road game 6-2. They also lost 5-1 in Calgary during this current slide and now they'll play a Blackhawk team that is 21-7-4 at home and desperate for a win. This talented host is in a foul mood after three straight losses and scoring just twice over that stretch. Now Ron Wilson is throwing a fragile Jonas Gustavsson out there to face one of the league's highest scoring teams instead of giving him a chance against the offensively challenged Panthers last night. Leaf fans were correct last night when chants of, “Fire Wilson” echoed throughout the ACC for the entire third period. The Leafs pay again for bad coaching decisions, weak defensive play and very shaky goaltending. Play: Chicago -½ -104 (Risking 2.08 units to win 2).
SPORTS WAGERS
Charlotte +5½ over DETROIT
In every sport there are teams that are too big a risk to be laying anything with and the Pistons fall into that category. As a small pooch at The Palace last night, Detroit was hammered by 29 points by the 76ers. When favored, the Pistons have covered twice in their past nine games. We've said it before and it's worth repeating that laying points with poor teams is bad strategy and the Pistons qualify as poor with their 11-25 record. The Bobcats, too, are awful but they're surely not as bad as their 4-28 record suggests. They've suffered more injuries than most and tonight could be the first time this season that Charlotte will have an injury-free line-up as both Gerald Henderson and C Byron Mullens return. With those two back, the Bobcats bench is deeper, they should win the battle of the boards and after losing to Detroit 98-81 back in Charlotte in mid-January, the 'Cats will certainly be looking to return the favor here. Not only can the Bobcats stay within range here, they stand a fair chance for a straight up win. Play: Charlotte +5½ (Risking 2.08 units to win 2).
David Banks
Bulls / Spurs Under
Division leaders will collide on Wednesday night in San Antonio where the Southwest Division leading Spurs (24-10, 20-13-1 ATS) will welcome in Derrick Rose and the Central Division leading Chicago Bulls (27-8, 21-14 ATS); tip-off from the AT&T Center is set to go live on ESPN at 9:00 ET.
This will be the back end of a back-to-back for Head Coach Tom Thibodeaus Bulls who will host the New Orleans Hornets in their first game out of the break on Tuesday night. Chicago checks in 9-2 SU & 6-5 ATS when playing on no rest to date. The Bulls will begin the second half of their regular season schedule a half-game in back of the Miami Heat for the best record in the Eastern Conference. Their fans and NBA betting backers can take solace in the fact that the squad was able to win 27 of its first 35 games without the services of free agent pick-up Richard Hamilton who suited up for just 11 games, and with All Star PG D-Rose missing multiple games due to nagging back and turf toe injuries. Regardless, the Bulls are by far one of the best teams in the league simply because it gets down and dirty at the defensive end of the court. Chicagos given up an average of just 87.9 PPG (#2) and has outrebounded its opposition by nearly 5.5 boards per game.
The Spurs will finally be able to play in front of their hometown faithful for the first time since February 4th after Head Coach Greg Popovichs squad finished up its Rodeo Trip right before the break. San Antonio managed to win all but one of the nine games played, and the lone defeat came at Portland with both Tony Parker and Tim Duncan sitting out due to it being the squads third game in a four-day stretch. In dominating the road trip, the Spurs built their lead in the Southwest to a comfy three-games over the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, and will host the Bulls sporting impressive 13-1 SU & 10-4 ATS records as hosts. The Spurs will look to topple the Bulls with their offense that surprisingly ranks 4th in scoring (99.3 PPG) as well as 5th in field goal percentage (45.9%) and 3rd in 3-point shooting percentage (39.4%). However, it must also up its game at the defensive end of the court considering its given up an average of 95.6 PPG (#16) and been outrebounded by .68 rebounds per game.
The home team won and covered both of these teams match-ups a year ago with the Spurs winning 103-94 in San Antonio (-6.5) in the first meeting with the Bulls firing back with a 109-99 triumph at home (-2) in the second go round. Both wins improved the favorites record to 6-2 ATS the L/8 meetings, while the under cashed in seven of those contests. Chicagos covered the closing pointspread in just one of their L/5 trips to the AT&T Center, but its also gone a moneymaking 27-13 ATS the L/40 times it locked horns with a +.600 opponent playing in its own house. San Antonio has only covered one of its L/5 versus Central Division opposition, but has tallied pointspread triumphs in each of its L/5 meetings with a +.600 opponent. The under has cashed each of the L/5 times these teams went at it in San Antonio.
Jeff Scott Sports
3 UNIT PLAYS
Navy +19 over BUCKNELL: The Bison have not had an easy time of it vs the worst team in the Patriot league this year. Sure they are 2-0 vs Navy (0-14 in the league), but in the first meeting the Midshipmen played them even in the second half, while 4 days ago on this same floor Bucknell beat Navy by just 9 points. Now despite being 0-14 in league play, the Midshipmen have lost just once by more than 19 points and 6 of their losses have been by single digits. Navy has also been outscored by just 10.9 ppg in league play, including just 11.4 ppg on the road. On the other side we have a Bison team that is the top seed in the league at 12-2, but they have just one conference win of more than 19 points and they have outscored their last 5 opponents at home by just 7.4 ppg. In no way am I saying that navy can win this one as Bucknell is clearly the better team, but the only shot the Bison has to go Dancing is by winning their conference tournament, so once they grab that 15, 16 or 17 point lead I expect they will put it in cruise control for the rest of the game to rest players for their next round and that should allow this scrappy Navy squad to keep it within the big number here.
Tulsa/ UAB Over 117.5: Tulsa comes in 315th in shots per game (50.2), while UAB comes in at 321st (49.9), but still I feel that these teams can hit this low OU line here. For UAB lets look at their last 8 games as just 1 of those games put less than 118 points on the board and that was the 75 total points scored in the SMU game. Their other 7 games during the 8 game stretch averaged 133.9 ppg, while their home games this year have averaged 128.7 ppg, including an average of 143.5 ppg in their last 4 at home. Now for Tulsa we note that each one of their last 8 games have hit at least 119 points, with an average of 131 ppg being scored in those games. Tulsa road games have averaged 129.2 ppg, including an average of 133.3 ppg in their last 4 away from home.Tulsa does average 66.5 ppg on the year and 65.7 ppg on the road, but in their last 8 the offense has been a tad bit better as they have averaged 68.8 ppg over that stretch and will be taking on a UAB squad that has allowed 69 ppg in their last 4 games at home. UAB comes in averaging 66.1 ppg at home, but they have opened it up some of late as they have put up 74.5 ppg in their last 4 games at home and will be facing a Tulsa team that allows 63.5 ppg on the road , including 64.8 ppg (regulation) in their last 4 away from home. So despite the low shot total's for these team we see that BOTH teams should still have an excellent shot at hitting 60+ points in this one. I expect that this one will be played in the high 120's.
More later
Jack Jones
New Orleans Hornets -3
The New Orleans Hornets have quietly been a covering machine of late. Getting the Hornets as a 3-point home favorite tonight over the lowly Toronto Raptors is an absolute gift from odds makers. I fully expect them to win this game and cover this generously small spread.
New Orleans is 4-3 SU and a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall. Six of those seven games came on the road, including wins over the Bucks, Knicks and Cavaliers. Their only losses were on the road to Oklahoma City, Indiana and Chicago, all by single-digits. That's pretty impressive considering the Thunder, Pacers and Bulls are three of the best teams in the league.
This home game against Toronto, in my opinion, is the easiest game they have faced during this stretch. The Raptors are 10-24 on the season, including 5-13 on the road where they are getting outscored by 8.2 points/game. They really struggle offensively away from home, putting up a mere 86.6 points/game on 41.6 percent shooting. The Hornets only yield 91.7 points/game at home. Bet New Orleans Wednesday.
Freddy Wills
Marquette vs. Cincinnati
PlayMarquette +1½
Marquette shot 56.7% their best in their last 47 league games vs. Cinci in their last meeting. Cinci’s has always been known as a tough defensive team under Cronin, but this Marquette team is just a bad match up for them. Cinci is just not as mentally tough and Marquette is a team that just keeps coming. They are simply relentless despite their lack of size and they have the play makers. They actually need a win here so they are the #2 seed in the Big East tournament so they’ll be playing for a lot. Cinci simply just does not have enough offense to keep up with the Big East’s #1 ranked offense. The 2 extra days will also help Marquette and they are 43-21-1 ATS in their last 65 road games.
Steve Janus
Maryland Terrapins +17½
North Carolina needs to win this game to have a chance at winning the ACC title and possible earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as they have a huge game at Duke on Saturday. With that said, I think North Carolina will this game, just not by 18 points. The Tar Heels had their trouble against Maryland on the road, holding on for a 83-74 win.
The Terrapins have nothing but pride and a chance to shock one of the best teams in the country. Look for them to come out with their best effort tonight, while the Tar Heels struggle to keep their focus on this game and not look ahead to the big game against the Blue Devils.
Duke faltered in a similar role last night, as they failed to cover a large line at Wake Forest, winning 79-71 as a 12.5-point favorite. North Carolina also failed to cover the game against Maryland, which just so happened to be before their earlier game against Duke.
Jimmy Boyd
Boston College +1.5
Georgia Tech has proven it shouldn't be laying any amount of points on the road and especially shouldn't without the services of leading scorer Glen Rice Jr - the only player on the team averaging double figures.
The Yellow Jackets are 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 road games and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games as a road favorite. Looking back, Georgia Tech is just 6-18 ATS in its last 24 games as a road favorite of 6 points or less or pickem. It is actually losing by an average of 3.2 points in this situation.
The Boston College Eagles are a solid 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as an underdog, and the underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in this series. Boston College has won 2 straight and 3 of the last 4 at home against the Yellow Jackets. We'll take BC tonight.
Matt Fargo
Duquesne vs. Charlotte
Play: Duquesne +2½
Charlotte got off to a strong start this season with a 7-2 record but it has been all downhill since then. The 49ers are 6-12 over their last 18 games and while this is the final regular season home game, they haven't exactly been strong at home, going 7-6 on the season including 4-5 over their last nine games. Charlotte has only three conference wins since early January and those three came against Fordham, George Washington and Rhode Island, the three teams tied or below it in the conference.
Duquesne has been on a bad run as it has lost three straight games as well as five in a row against the number. The Dukes were in position to possibly grab a first round bye in the Atlantic-10 Tournament but that is no longer the case and it is now playing for seeding. The possibility is there to host a first round game but it has to start here with a win as hosting St. Louis in the season finale is going to be a tough challenge. The Dukes look to snap a three-game road streak here as well.
Duquesne has struggled on offense during this losing skid but the 49ers have been worse off for a much longer period of time. Charlotte is shooting only 41.1 percent for the season and 42.2 percent in 14 conference games and it has been held to fewer than 60 points in four of its last seven losses so that is the magic number Duquesne will be looking for. The 49ers are just 8-20 ATS in their last 28 home games against teams with a losing road record.
The Dukes are in ninth place in the conference and can still finish as high as sixth or as low as 12th so the motivation is there to finish strong. The Dukes have played the toughest schedule of all Atlantic-10 teams which has played a key role in some of those losses. Duquesne is 15-4 ATS in its last 19 road games under head coach Ron Everhart following two straight losses and 6-0 ATS in its six road games after scoring 30 points or fewer in the first half in its last game.
Eric Williams
Blazers vs. Nuggets
Play: Over 200½
The Over is 4-1 in Portland’s last five games following an ATS win and 7-2 in their L/9 games against Western Conference teams. The Over is 8-1 in Denver’s last nine games following a double-digit loss at home and a consistent 6-1 in their last seven games versus a team with a winning SU record. Last but not least, the Over is 6-2 in Portland’s last eight games versus a team with a winning SU record and 4-1 in the Nuggets’ last five games following an SU loss.
Craig Trapp
Maryland vs. North Carolina
Play: Maryland +17½
UNC has biggest game of year this weekend against Duke and you can bet they will not play their best as they are looking ahead. Sure UNC will win but covering this huge # is unlikely. Maryland only lost by 9 at home to UNC and was even closer much of the game.
Bryan Power
MARYLAND @ NORTH CAROLINA
PICK: North Carolina -17.5
While this may look like a lot of points to lay with a Tar Heels team that is in a clear look ahead to the Duke rematch this weekend, but considering Maryland has already lost by 27 at Virginia and 18 at Duke recently, this number is justified. The Terps are not a good road team overall, losing seven of eight away from College Park and they have also dropped 13 in a row to ranked foes. UNC head coach Roy Williams takes Senior Night more seriously than most others in his profession, something he readily admits. The Tar Heels have never lost on Senior Night under Williams. They won at Maryland prior to the first meeting w/ Duke and I see no look ahead here either. Tar Heels roll.
SPORTS WAGERS
Iowa St +10½ over MISSOURI
The first thing to note here is that the Tigers are ranked while the Cyclones are not, meaning there's a premium to pay when playing the ranked team. With that said, Iowa State should probably be ranked because they're a top 25 team with all the elements of such. They have great shooters and they have an outstanding PG in Scott Christopherson. Then there's Royce White, a player that can literally carry the team on his back in the unlikely event that everyone else is off their game. White rebounds, he scores points and he also chips in with a 5.1 average of assists per game. For those of you looking for a sleeper at this year's Dance, watch these Cyclones, as they are way under the radar and should not be getting this many points against anyone. Missouri could be a little fragile after consecutive losses to Kansas and K-State. That's not to say that the Tigers are in trouble but their bid for a Big 12 Championship is now gone and so likely is their #1 seeding in the tournament. In other words, Mizzou's run during the regular season is over and focus will now be getting ready for the Madness. The Cyclones just keep coming and this line, which every player is always aware of, is an insult that will add motivation. Possible upset. Play: #565 Iowa State +10½ (Risking 2.1 units to win 2).
NHL Predictions
Chicago Blackhawks -164
Right now I could argue that the Maple Leafs are the worst team in the NHL. The Leafs have lost 5 straight games and 9 of their last 10 (only getting a point in 1 of those 9 losses). They have scored just 23 goals over those previous 10 games, while giving up 40 against. After returning home from a bad Western Canada road swing the Leafs lost four straight games at home (and three of them as favorites). Toronto is now 29-27-7 on the season, and 13-15-2 on the road. Chicago has had similar struggles as of late, but they have been playing a ton of games on the road. Chicago has won just 4 of their last 16 games overall, but have also won 7 of their last 9 home games (which shows you how many of their recent games have been away from home). Chicago is coming off just a short 2 game road trip that followed three games at home where they beat St Louis and Detroit and then lost to Dallas. The Blackhawks are 21-7-4 on home this season. The Leafs and Blackhawks don't play each other often, but the Blackhawks have won their last 6 meetings. Although the Blackhawks will be without Toews tonight they still have a lot more talent in their line up then this Maple Leafs team. Toronto will continue their struggles tonight as the Blackhawks come out hard and fast at home. Lay the chalk on the home team.
Anaheim Ducks -144 and Sabres / Ducks Under 5.5
The Ducks lost their last game in Colorado 4-1, but have won their two previous games including a 3-1 win over Chicago on Sunday night. The Ducks have won 17 of their last 25 games overall, and 9 of their last 11 home games. Anaheim is 27-26-10 on the season, and 16-13-2 on home ice. The Buffalo Sabres have also been playing well as of late, winning 3 of their last 4 after losing 4 straight. The Sabres were active at the trade deadline, but the moves were made to improve them in the future. The Sabres are 27-27-8 on the season and just 11-16-1 on the road. Buffalo is averaging just 1.86 goals per game away from home while giving up 3.21 against. The Sabres have won just 3 of their last 17 games on the road. Take note that the UNDER is 19-7 in the Ducks last 26 games overall and 4-0 in their last 4 home games. The Ducks are scoring just 2 goals per game over their last 5, while giving up just 2 against. The Sabres are scoring 2.80 over their last 5 while giving up just 2 against, but 4 of those 5 games came on home ice and the Sabres struggle scoring on the road. Anaheim was quiet at the trade deadline and playing at home against a Buffalo team that has gone through some changes I like their chances tonight. I also like the value on the under. Two separate bets in this one on the Ducks to win and the UNDER 5.5