Rob Vinciletti
Chicago Bulls vs. Houston Rockets
Play: Chicago Bulls
Chicago will lok to bounce back here tonight and we have a nice system that pertains to the Bulls and all rested road teams in theis point spread range that scored 90 or more as a road dog of 4 or less and shot 45% or higher, vs an opponent that scored 90 or more as a road dog of 5 or more and shot less than 45%. These road teams are 10-2. The Bulls are alos 12-0 ats on the road off a los when Joaquim Noah had 10+ points and 10+ rebounds in their last game. Look for Chicago to take down Houston tonight.
Steve Janus
San Antonio Spurs -1½
The Celtics simply haven't played all that well early this season and I can't see them beating the Spurs even on their home floor tonight. Boston's beat the Wizards twice, Bucks, Bulls, Jazz and Raptors. Only Milwaukee has a winning record right now.
The Spurs have lost three games all season and they came against the likes of the Clippers (twice) and Knicks. Two elite teams that are playing some exceptional basketball right now. San Antonio will be extremely motivated in this one, as they just lost at home to the Clippers on Monday. The Spurs are a perfect 2-0 following a loss this season with an 11-point win at Sacramento and 26-point home win over the Nuggets.
San Antonio is an impressive 20-9 ATS after a game where they failed to cover the spread over the last two seasons!
Even when Boston is playing well they have struggled against opponents from the Western Conference's Southwest division. Under head coach Doc River's they are 12-27 ATS in home games vs the Southwest.
Jack Jones
Charlotte Bobcats -2½
The Charlotte Bobcats are clearly undervalued in the early going this season. They have made some great improvements to their roster, which is the biggest reason they are sitting above .500 at 5-4 right now. Also, head coach Mike Dunlap is proving to be the perfect fit.
The Bobcats brought in Ramon Sessions (16.6 PPG, 4.2 APG), Ben Gordon (13.0 PPG), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (11.7 PPG, 1.6 BPG, 7.2 RPG) and Brendan Haywood (7.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG) this offseason. All four players have made significant contributions, especially Sessions, who has given the bench a huge scoring boost.
The Raptors are in an extremely difficult spot here. They will be playing the second of a back-to-back and their 4th game in 5 days. They started showing signs of wearing down last night by getting outscored 33-18 in the 4th quarter to lose 98-106. That loss dropped them to 1-5 on the road this season.
Charlotte is 6-1 SU & 7-0 ATS in its last 7 meetings with Toronto. This is certainly one of the few teams it has owned over the last couple years. The Bobcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Raptors are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record. Bet the Bobcats Wednesday.
Scott Delaney
Let's get Thanksgiving going with this easy winner!!!
This should be a no-brainer guys, as I trust Brandon Davies and Tyler Haws to lead the Cougars to an easy double-digit win over visiting Texas-San Antonio.
Let's not get caught up in UTSA's 3-1 start. It's played Morgan State, Holy Cross, Old Dominion and USC Upstate. Maybe - maybe - Old Dominion is the one impressive win. Make note, the Roadrunners are 0-3 all-time in games played in the state of Utah. And sure, the last time the program visited was in 2009, but it still tells me that coming from the Southwest, they can't adjust to the altitude.
Haws has opened the 2012-13 season with four-consecutive 20-point games, the longest streak of 20-point games since 2010-11 when Jimmer Fredette ended the season with 22-straight 20-point games, while Davies, who was named preseason All-West Coast Conference and to the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50, has scored in double figures in 11 consecutive games dating back to last season.
And the fact the Cougars are coming into this one after consecutive regular season losses for the first time since the 2008-09 season, and the Cougars have never lost three-straight with coach Dave Rose at the helm, leads me to believe the Roadrunners are in big trouble tonight.
The Cougars just lost to No. 20 Notre Dame in a battle of Mormons and Catholics, as the Irish rallied in the second half to win, 78-68, in the consolation game of the Acura Coaches vs. Cancer Classic last Saturday in Brooklyn, N.Y. Early in the second half BYU put together a 13-2 run that gave the Cougars their largest lead of the night at 47-40 with 14:45 to play. So they know what they're capable of. And tonight I think they'll put it all together inside the Marriott Center, where the Cougs are on a 5-2 ATS streak.
Lay the chalk.
3♦ BRIGHAM YOUNG
Chuck O'Brien
So far, so good. The Colorado State Rams are under the direction of new head coach Larry Eustachy, and haven't looked too shabby with their 2-0 start to the season. Of course, it hasn't hurt one bit they return an experienced roster with seven letterwinners from last year's team. And with them came talented newcomers, including Division I transfers Colton Iverson (Minnesota) and Daniel Bejarano (Arizona) who sat out 2011-12 per NCAA transfer rules.
This was a team picked to finish fourth in the stacked Mountain West Conference - behind San Diego State, UNLV and New Mexico. Coming into tonight's game contest in Denver, the Rams are receiving two votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top-25 rankings.
Point blank - this is a good basketball team.
I'm not surprised, as the Rams closed the 2011-12 season ranking as one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country. The Rams led the Mountain West in field-goal percentage (.471), three-point percentage (.400) and free-throw percentage (.768). And from what I can see, they've rolled the momentum over to this season.
And you're going to let me take points against a Denver Pioneers team that comes in with a 1-2 mark after losing to California, 72-61, in its latest outing. Yes, the Pioneers return four of their top-five scorers from last season’s team that won a school-record 22 D-I games, but I still don't think they have what it takes to man up against the Rams.
Sure this is a rivalry, and you can use that excuse. But if you can say it in Denver's defense, why can't you say it in Colorado State's defense? And make note, the Rams’ returners have played a combined 14 games versus the Pioneers in their careers.
I'm looking for CSU which to extend its winning streak over the Pioneers to four games and eight out of the last ten meetings. Take the road pup, as the underdog is on a 5-2 ATS run in this series.
4♦ COLORADO STATE
Craig Davis
Gave you New York in the NBA as a free play last night, going to the well with the Knicks again tonight.
It's really hard for me to go against the Knicks right now, especially with Dallas reeling after their hot start and the fact that Dirk Nowitzki isn't expected back until mid-December.
For my reasons, I like the Knicks to continue their hot play and dominated the Mavs on the road tonight.
They're looking for their ninth win of the season already... the most of any team in the NBA. They're coming off an easy 102-80 win over the shorthanded Hornets behind 19 first-quarter points from Carmelo Anthony. Right now, it's hard to argue the Knicks are the hottest team in the NBA.
Shoot, Anthony sat out the fourth quarter but still finished with 29 points while Raymond Felton and JR Smith chipped in with 15 points apiece. Dallas is in trouble tonight.
Dallas enters tonight coming in off a 105-101 overtime loss vs. Golden State despite 27 points from OJ Mayo. He just didn’t receive enough help outside of Chris Kaman’s 18 points and 17 rebounds and Troy Murphy’s 12 points.
The biggest problem is the lack of production from once-hot Darren Collison, who had just seven points and five turnovers on 2 of 11 shooting two nights ago. And Elton Brand continues to struggle, yet Rick Carlisle keeps him in the starting lineup... though we've seen decreasd minutes each game.
The Knicks already beat Dallas this year, 104-94 at home, but the Mavs have still won 18 of the last 22 in this head to head matchup. Does that concern me? A little. But not enough to shy away from giving you the KNicks as my free play of the day.
3♦ NEW YORK
Jeff Benton
Underdog freebie winner last night on Brooklyn as they covered at the Lakers.
38-23 freebie run.
Tonight I say go against the Nets as they head up the coast for a game against the rested and ready Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors just concluded a three game road trip by winning two of the three both straight up and against the spread, as Mark Jackson's team is now on a 3-1 straight up run their past four times on the hardwood.
The Nets have won and covered the last three series meetings, but with Brooklyn playing with no rest tonight, the schedule certainly does not favor them upping the streak to four wins and covers in a row.
Andrew Bogut may still be sidelined, but David Lee has stepped up for the Warriors and has posted four straight double-doubles.
In a near pick spot, going to side with the rested home team over the unrested visitors.
4♦ GOLDEN STATE
Chris Jordan
After winning its first three games of the Joe Cipriano Nebraska Classic at home, the Tulane men's basketball teams is on the road tonight. At the Devaney Sports Center, in Lincoln, Nebraska for the final game of the event.
Bring on the host Cornhuskers.
Tulane welcomed back five players who started at least 15 games a year ago, including a trio of players who started all 31 games in 2011-12. The experience has seemingly paid off early on.
After seeing the Green Wave (3-1) get past Bethune-Cookman, 65-55, Nebraska-Omaha, 76-52, and Chicago State, 79-51, in the first three games of the classic last week in Devlin Fieldhouse, I'm convinced they're going to be able to handle the Huskers, who are also 3-0. Nebraska defeated Valparaiso, 50-48, and Nebraska-Omaha, 75-62, at home in the first two games of the classic, and hosts Kent State on Saturday to complete the event.
If you look at the scores, and delve into the boxes, you'll see Tulane has progressively gotten better along the way. The Green Wave played their best game of the season against Chicago State on Sunday, shooting 46.2 percent from the floor, whilehitting eight of 16 3-pointers and burying 23 of 27 free throws. They also outrebounded the Cougars by a whopping margin of 48-23.
Now I know Nebraska is a typical Big 10 team that has size up front and that will be physical, but the Wave are well-coached and are going to be efficient from start to finish. What I expect to them to be is surprising to the Huskers, who I don't think will take Tulane seriously.
And while Tulane has covered 11 of its last 14 non-conference games, Nebraska is in on ATS slides of 4-10 at home, 2-5 in non-conference play and 1-6 overall. Take the road chalk in this one.
1♦ TULANE
Matt Rivers
Last night's free play release was an easy winner on the New York Knicks, and I see no reason to switch horses in midstream tonight.
Take the Knicks once again as your free play for Wednesday night.
I told you yesterday that New York is allowing the fewest points in the NBA, and last night's 80 point output by New Orleans certainly is in line with the defensive blanket the Knicks have been dropping down on the league this first month.
The Knicks have already bested the Mavericks once this season, 104-94 back on November 9th, and with Dirk Nowitzki still sidelined, there shouldn't be any change in the result tonight.
Dallas enters on a 2-5 straight up slide, and with the points the slide is 1-6 in those seven games.
New York's 8-1 start is no fluke, it is legitimate, and I will ride them one more time tonight at your comp play.
4♦ NEW YORK
Charlie Sports
San Antonio Spurs at Boston Celtics
Play: Boston Celtics
The (8-3) San Antonio Spurs of the NBA Western Conference southwest division will take on the (6-5) Boston Celtics of the Eastern Conference Atlantic division in 2012 NBA action. The Celtics are 3-2-1 against the spread their last 6 vs. San Antonio. San Antonio is 6-3-1 their last 10 ATS so far this season. The Celtics are 3-6-1 ATS in their 10 games played this season and the total has gone over 3 of their last 5 NBA games. Boston gets the home cover.