Tony Mathew's
SEATTLE / MINNESOTA OVER 198½
We expect a high-scoring game as the Seattle SuperSonics face-off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Friday's NBA contest. Both these teams have poor defenses. The Seattle SuperSonics (when playing on the road) are allowing opponents to score an average of 109.6 points per game, while the Minnesota Timberwolves (when playing at home) are allowing opponents to score an average of 102.4 points per game. These are the types of defenses that make high-scoring games. The Over is 21-6 in the Minnesota Timberwolves last 27 games as a favorite. The Over is also 39-18 in the Minnesota Timberwolves last 57 home games. We expect to see another high-scoring game tonight! Take the Seattle
SuperSonics/Minnesota Timberwolves Over 198½
Marc Lawrence
LA LAKERS
Lakers invade Golden State knowing they are 4-0 SUATS in their last four games on this court. With the Warriors in the middle of a one-game homestand, look for Kobe and company to come up big once again here this evening.Good luck - Marc Lawrence
Bobby Maxwell
3* CHICAGO -9
Oh, the Knicks. The poor, poor, crappy Knicks. Don't care about the fact they're getting a bunch of points in this one, there's no way anybody can put their hard-earned money on this team. New York has dropped four straight games (0-4 ATS) and six of is last eight (2-6 ATS). The Knicks gave up 117 points to the Sonics on Wednesday, falling 117-110 as five-point favorites. New York hasn't stopped anybody all season and on the road they allow 104.6 points a game and only manage 91.7. If averages hold up, this game will be a 15-point win easy. Chicago has stepped it up lately, winning five of its last eight and putting up a whopping 123 on the Sonics on Monday, routing Seattle 123-96 as 8 1/2-point favorites. The Bulls look like they have emerged from that early season funk they were in and should be a tough squad the rest of the way. Let's not worry one bit, lay the big chalk, sit back with some cocoa and watch as the Knicks stumble all over themselves, Isaiah flashes that "I have no idea what's going on smile" and the Bulls rout them by 15.
Jim Feist
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
LA continues to have injury and defensive troubles. They played their eighth game without veteran point guard Sam Cassell, who said before the game he doubts his strained calf will be healed enough for him to play Sunday when the Clippers play the Lakers. The Bobcats shot 59% in the second half and 50% (40 of 80) for the game! They take on a Memphis team that can score, averaging 109 ppg at home. LA is 4-5 SU, 3-5-1 ATS on the road, while the home team is 3-1 SU, 2-1-1 ATS the last four meetings. This is a long trip for the visitors
Jimmy The Moose
Game: Toronto Maple Leafs at Atlanta Thrashers Dec 14 2007 7:35PM
Prediction: Atlanta Thrashers
Reason: The Maple Leafs are 6-14 in their last 20 road games. In their last 23 games following a win they are 6-17. Toronto is 3-13 in their last 16 games playing with 3 or more days of rest. Atlanta is 6-2 in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Atlanta has won 4 of the last 5 meetings with Toronto. Look for the Thrashers to play a good home game and beat the Maple Leafs tonight. Play on
Sports Gambling Hotline
Utah at PORTLAND (+5')
We enter Friday's play on a 24-14 free play run our last 38 comp releases!
Tonight we have to take the points with the streaking Blazers as they entertain the slumping Jazz.
On Tuesday night, Portland went into Utah as the double-digit underdog, and walked out of Salt Lake City with a convincing 97-89 outright win. That win is part of a Blazers 5 game win and cover streak, and now they are back at home where they are 8-3 straight up, and 7-4 against the spread.
Utah is slumping right now as they have dropped their last 5, covering just once along the way. The Jazz has also dropped 3 of the last 4 series meetings straight up with the Blazers.
If Utah is able to pull off the streak stopping win tonight, they will not be able to pull off the outright by the required impost. We say take Portland as the Blazers continue to blaze-on!
Play on the Trail Blazers.
3* PORTLAND
Ike Rose
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS +5½
The Magic took the first meeting against the Bobcats this season at home by a 105-92 final count. Orlando covered as 9.5-point home chalks and the ‘Total’ snuck under the closing number of 197.5. These teams split last seasons four game set with the Magic winning and covering both games at home. However, the Bobcats also held serve at home knocking off the Magic twice as short home underdogs. The Bobcats find themselves in the underdog role here tonight as well. Orlando has been installed a 5-point road chalk with the ‘Total’ set at 197.5 (same as Game 1). Spread players take note: The Magic are an insane 12-2 ATS (86%) on the road this year. They’re 4-1 ATS vs. losing teams on the road, and 1-0 ATS against Southeast Division opponents. All in all, they come into this match-up a combined 17-3 (85%) ATS in this scenario, and certainly deserve to be laying points in this spot. That being said, the Bobcats are a much better team when playing in their own gym evidenced by their home/away splits. They’ve won 7 of their 12 home games this season while only managing one win in eight tries on the road. They come into this spot a combined 10-8 ATS (56%) at home vs. +.500 divisional opponents this season. They’ve also been money at home ATS vs. Orlando the l/3 years going a combined 5-1 ATS. With this being a series dominated ATS by the home team, 6-0 ATS L/6, look for the Bobcats to give the Magic all they could ask for and more in this spot. Grab the points with this ugly rabid pup tonight!!!
Wunderdogsports
Game: Utah at Portland (10:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Utah -6 (-110) (risk 3 to win 2.7)
Portland has played very well, winning five straight. But the injuries are mounting. LaMarcus Aldridge will miss this game as well as Martell Webster, who is out with the flu. Utah lost to Portland at home less than a week ago and will be motivated to get that bitter taste out of their mouth for this one. Utah after a 13-5 start, has now dropped five in a row. Webster was the difference in the game vs Utah, as he poured in 25 and connected on five three's. The rest of the team made just 23 hoops the entire game, and Utah has too much depth and firepower to lose back-to-back against a depleted Portland team.
Frank Rosenthal
1AA CHAMPIONSHIP
DELAWARE VS APPALACHIAN ST
291 DELAWARE+6 SB
OVER 67 SB+
NBA
703 MAGIC-4 SB
714 WOLVES-1 SB
716 MAVS UNDER 196 SB+
720 BULLS-9 SB+
723 LAKERS OVER 227 SB
PLATINUM PLAYS
NBA: the BOSTON CELTICS - 13 Over the Milwaukee Bucks
Handicapper: Nite Owl Sports
Sport: NBA Basketball
Game: Cleveland Cavaliers @ New Jersey Nets - Friday December 14, 2007 8:00 pm
Pick: 3 units (Play of the Day) ATS: Cleveland Cavaliers -2.5 (-109)
We like Cavs in this spot, for a number of reasons. First and foremost, King (Lebron) James is back, having scored 17 on 5-9 shooting in 22 minutes of play Wed night in Cavs' easy win over Indy, his first game back since being sidelined with pesky finger injury two weeks ago in Detroit. Ironically, this was the first game since the debacle in Detroit that Cavs didn't need Lebron in order to win, as Larry Hughes was unstoppable, hitting 13 of 17 shots (including 5 of 8 treys) for 36 points in just 26 minutes of PT (playing time). But now the full strength Cavs focus their efforts on the NJ Nets, who humiliated them 100-79 in Cleveland just 10 days ago, with Lebron on the bench nursing his injury. As you may recall, the Cavs beat the Nets in LY 's playoffs on their way to the NBA finals, winning their L2 games in NJ in doing so. TY Cavs should be able to continue their success in the garden state, as they are 5-0 away vs less then .500 teams (like the nets) when Lebron is in the line-up, and the nets have been horrible at home TY, especially as a small favorite or underdog vs "B" teams (like the Cavs, at this point), against whom they are 0-6, with an average MOL of 12 points. This home ineptness by the nets is a carryover from LY, as they are not only 2-11 ATS at home TY but 3-13-1 ATS at home in their L17 home, going back to last April. In their most recent home game, the nets put on a pathetic performance, not only losing to the lowly Clippers, but shooting a miserable 32 % and an even worse 2-14 on treys, and being out-rebounded by 9. We like Cavs up to -3, but we urge all customers to get their bets in ASAP (hopefully still at this overnight line of 2.5), as we think line will rise to 3 and maybe higher due to public awareness of Lebron's return, Cavs' revenge motive and Nets' poor home record TY. When individual team totals lines are posted after noon, we will add an afternoon update if we like Cleveland over the total and/or Nets under the total. Although Cavs should win this game and cover this low number without much trouble, another way to get added value out of this pick would be to tease Cleve to +2 or better with one or two of our other NBA selections for today.
Great Lakes Sports comp
NBA Selection:
Orlando at Charlotte 7:05PM EST Play on: Orlando Magic
The Magic is an amazing 17-6 ATS this year, 8-4 ATS as a favorite this year, and 12-2 ATS when playing on the road this year. The Orlando Magic is also 3-1 ATS vs division opponents this year. We look for the Orlando Magic to grab the road ATS Win & cover tonight.
Winning Points Online. 1-0 on best bets totals in NBA
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14
***BEST BET
UNDER 200 Utah at Portland
Something works, you stick with it as long as it made sense with sound reasoning
originally. This is a reprise of Tuesday night's BEST BET Under played in Utah.
Since then, Utah played an Under in Phoenix, of all places, and Portland played an Under against the Warriors, of all opponents.
When these teams are playing below the total against the fastest-paced teams in the NBA, and tonight Utah is without its backup point guard Jason Hart and perimeter mismatch Mehmet Okur, Under is once again the way to go.
Without Hart to spell Deron Williams, he has to play a more deliberate game to save his wheels over four quarters. Okur's three-pointer is not in the mix, nor is his lousy defense.Paul Millsap gets Okur's minutes and he is the kind of guy who will suck up all of Portland's many forthcoming misses and prevent second-chance points. Offensively? Not much. But Sloan is determined to end this five-game losing streak
with better defensive intensity and execution.
Will he? Not so sure, but the play is as called. UTAH, 93-90.
Tony Bravo
NBA- CHICAGO (-9)
Glenn Andrew
NBA- DALLAS (-8)
Dave Price
NBA-1 Unit on Boston -13
Jeff Alexander
NBA-1 Unit on Seattle +2
Jimmy Boyd
NBA-1 Unit on Milwaukee/Boston OVER 188
Larry Cook
3* on Orlando Magic -4.5
Bill Young
1* on New Orleans Hornets +8
Jim Reeves
Toronto Maple Leafs: EVEN
Smart Money Syndicate
3* (NBA) Charlotte +5
3* (NHL) Buffalo -125
2* (NBA) Memphis -5
2* (NBA) New York +10
2* (NBA) New Jersey +3
1* (NBA) Milwaukee +13
1* (NBA) Minnesota -2
1* (NBA) Toronto +3
1* (NBA) Atlanta +10
1* (NBA) Toronto/Indiana UNDER 202
1* (NBA) Portland/Utah OVER 199
1* (NBA) Utah -6
1* (NCAAB) Iowa +2.5