Michael Cannon
20 Dime
HAWKS
10 Dime
RAPTORS
Priceless Picks
1 Unit on Kings/Mavs OVER 202
Dallas scores much better at home, averaging 103.5 ppg. Sac is allowing 104.2 ppg. Dallas will be playing back-to-back, but defense usually suffers in those situations and not offense. All 4 games in Dallas in this matchup the past 3 seasons have gone OVER the number and 6 of the last 8 games period have gone OVER. The Kings are 21-6 OVER against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons and 31-19 OVER in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons. Take the OVER tonight.
Locksmith Sports
1 Unit on Golden State Warriors -5
The 76ers struggle against up-tempo teams and that's really all you need to know here. Philly is 7-20 ATS versus up-tempo teams averaging 83 or more shots/game over the last 3 seasons. Golden State has won 4 straight games against the Sixers and is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games with Philly. The Warriors are a very good home team at 19-10 on the season while the 76ers have struggled on the road at just 10-18. Philly is only 9-22 ATS in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 200 over the last 3 seasons. The 76ers can't sustain a high level of play for an entire game against up-tempo teams. Lay the points tonight.
Wolkosky Milan
10* PORTLAND +8½
10* CHICAGO -5
10* MIN/CLE UNDER 191½
10* UTA/ORLK UNDER 206
10* SAC/DAL OVER 201½
Drew Gordon
1. 200,000* Kings
2. 50,000* Niagara
3. 50,000* Hornets
BIG AL
At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Memphis Grizzlies plus the points over Houston, Upset Shocker of the Week on Memphis
Bob Akmens
College Basketball
Manhattan/Fairfield Over 136.5 / 3 units
National Hockey League
San Jose Sharks/Detroit Red Wings Under 5.0 / 3 units
Columbus Blue Jackets/Vancouver Canucks Over 5.0 / 3 units
NBA
Washington Wizards/Chicago Bulls Under 197.5 / 3 units
SportsKingz
TORONTO -10
Brandon Lang
5 Dime Jazz
5 Dime Knicks
5 Dime Sonics
Black Magic Sports
NBA
5 Unit Black Magic NBA Dog of the Week on Sacramento Kings +9
The Kings catch the Dallas Mavericks in a great spot tonight. Dallas just played a physical, emotional game against the San Antonio Spurs last night where they lost in the final seconds by just 3 points. It will be extremely tough for the Mavs to recover from this devastating loss in just 24 hours time. The Sacramento Kings will come into this game the more hungry team after having a days’ rest to think about the recent 3-game skid they have been on. Sacramento will bounce back tonight in a big way and pull off the upset of a shaken up Mavs’ team. Sacramento is 12-2 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4 games this season. Dallas is 2-12 ATS in home games off a close loss by 3 points or less to a division rival since 1996. History has been great for the Kings in the spot, but terrible for the Mavs following a tough loss. We will bet along with history and cash in with the Kings as the underdog.
3 Unit Sharp Play on Golden State Warriors -5
The Warriors are showing great value tonight as just a 5-point home favorite against the 76ers. Philly has been a sleeper this season at home, but their 10-18 road record is little to be desired for 76ers’ backers. The Warriors are 19-10 at home this season and have won their last two home meetings with the 76ers by 19 and 9 points each. The Warriors have won 4 straight against the 76ers overall. Philly doesn’t match-up well with the high-octane style of offense the Warriors run. They are a slow-down team that can’t run with the Warriors. Philly is 9-22 ATS in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 200 over the last 3 seasons. The odds makers are predicting a shootout and Philly can’t hang in this style of game. Cash in with Golden State as the favorite.
NCAA Basketball
3 Unit Sharp Play on Iona +7
Iona is a sleeper tonight as the underdog to a Marist team playing without their best player. Marist has been missing Louie McCroskey dearly as of late. McCroskey was averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds before going down with an ankle injury. Marist has now lost 6 of their last 7 games overall and still find themselves a 7-point favorite here. Iona lost to Marist earlier this season and that is the reason they are showing such great value here. Iona is 10-2 ATS in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons. Iona is 8-1 ATS in road games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons. Cash in with Iona as the underdog.
TIM TRUSHEL
New Orleans
TEDDY COVERS
Houston Rockets
Tony Karpinski
Indiana Pacers vs. Toronto Raptors
Play: Toronto Raptors
Toronto has shown a tremendous ability to dominate weaker teams at home. They have defeated their last four opponents by double digits in Toronto. They blew out Minnesota, New York, Orlando, and New Jersey, averaging 115 points in those four wins. The Raptors defeated the Pacers in Indiana just two games ago. This win is significant because Indiana is a decent home team. Chris Bosh was dominating in that game, and he created a lot of problems for the Pacers. They had no answer for him, as they are still without their big man, Jermaine O’Neal. The Raptors also limited Indiana to just 42% shooting. Indiana is mainly a jump shooting team, and they tend to fold when facing tough defenses on the road. The Pacers are only 1-4 straight up since the all-star break, and I expect them to really struggle in this game. Look for Toronto to get a big blowout win at home.
Peter Loshak
Tonight's contest at the United Center in Chicago has all the makings for a run-&-gun affair. Play the Over on Friday night when the Washington Wizards pay the Bulls a visit.
On the slate of overnight lines for the NBA on Friday, I think the total for the Bulls game in Chicago with Washington is not reflecting the changed nature of the new Bulls team.
The total opened at 197½, a decidedly high-end number for the Ben Wallace-era Bulls, to be sure. But for the version of the Bulls that will be on the court on Friday, I think the number is too low. SBRlines.com shows that it has notably been bet up to 198½ at Pinnacle, and to 198 at a few other shops, while Bookmaker and The Greek are holding steady at 197½ overnight. But I think these lines give value to the over, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them close substantially higher by game time.
The new-look Bulls are deep with offensive firepower, and are looking to play a more up-tempo open-court style of game. This quote from Coach Jim Boylan yesterday says it all: “We don’t want to bog down and have the ball in one guy’s hands and have the shot clock run down.”
Chicago is looking to be active and fluid to create offensive opportunities, using their superior depth and talent to run over their opponents. They were even able to accomplish that last Friday against Denver, a team that is well-known for its own ability to overrun and outshoot opponents.
Washington, for their part, is a team with some good talent, but a team that is floundering in general as a result of injuries to their two leaders, Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler. The Wizards will not likely be able to come in and change the Bulls’ preferred style even if they wanted to, which they probably will not. Washington does have some quality shooters themselves, and they may well just try to keep up with Chicago, basket for basket.
I see the Bulls as about to become one of the higher-scoring teams in the league from here on out, but at this early stage of the second half, that may not be fully apparent to the market. If I am right about this, there will likely be decent value with Chicago overs in the near future, and very likely in their game on Friday. So I’ll take the Over 198 in this Wizards/Bulls matchup.
LT Profits Sports Group
The Wizards continue to compete well despite being short-handed, and they are now a nice 17-12 ATS on the road. The Bulls have a losing home record, so take the points.
The Washington Wizards have continued to play hard and be competitive despite being without Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, while the Bulls have struggled at home this season.
Granted, the Wizards laid an egg at Houston vs. the Yao-less Rockets on Tuesday, but that came the night after they upset the red-hot New Orleans Hornets on the road, so we will grant Washington a Mulligan there. The Wizards are still 6-2 against the spread in their last eight games overall, and they are now an excellent 17-12, 58.6 percent ATS on the road for the season.
Now the Bulls were playing better soon after their coaching change, but they are now just 4-6 straight up in their last 10 games, and they are returning from a 1-2 road trip where their only win was at Indiana, which was the easiest on the three opponents. Chicago is still a very disappointing 12-14 SU at home this year, and they are a money-burning 10-16 ATS in those games.
Finally, this is a revenge spot for the Wizards, who lost outright at home to the Bulls as six-point favorites back in December.
Wizards +5
Mike Rose
New Orleans Hornets -4.0
Another crucial Western Conference clash takes place this evening when the (37-21) Utah Jazz invades the “Crescent City” to take on the (38-18) New Orleans Hornets. I always find it funny when these two clubs square off because its New Orleans that should be considered the Jazz and Utah’s state animal is the honeybee. Anyway, the Jazz come into tonight’s game sitting 2.5 games in front of the Denver Nuggets for the top spot in the Northwest Division, while the Hornets find themselves 1-game in back of the San Antonio Spurs for the lead in the rugged Southwest. Utah has been a poor road team this year evidenced by their 12-18 SU mark, and they’ve also been a solid proposition to bet against considering their ATS mark as a visitor is the same as their overall road mark. New Orleans has won 19 of their 29 overall games at home this year, and they’re starting to get bigger crowds as the season’s progressed. However, they’re ATS mark at home is mediocre at 16-13, but that won’t stop me from laying the points in this crucial revenge match-up. Utah steamrolls just about everyone in the comfy confines of their own arena, but they transform into something awful when on the road.
The home team is 5-1-1 ATS the L/7 meetings and New Orleans is 5-1 ATS their L/6 vs. the Northwest Division. Utah is also a pathetic 5-13 ATS on the road vs. a team with a winning home mark. Lay the points with confidence as CP3 and West let the Jazz know what it’s like to be on the other end of a woodshed beating!!!!
Ted Sevransky
Houston Rockets -12.5
Since dumping Pau Gasol for pennies on the dollar, the Memphis Grizzlies have declined from ‘bad’ to ‘truly dismal’, the single worst team in the entire league. The Grizzlies woes have been on full display against quality teams in hostile environments. Since beating Indiana in Indianapolis on January 2nd, the Grizz have lost eleven consecutive road games. They’ve consistently lost by double digit margins against mediocre foes like Washington, Charlotte, Philadelphia and the LA Clippers. And when Memphis tries to step up in class against strong playoff caliber squads, their results have been even worse. New Orleans, Dallas, San Antonio, Golden State and Detroit have beaten the Grizzlies by an average of nearly 20 points per game.
Friday’s opponent, the Houston Rockets, have manhandled the Grizzlies with ease in both previous meetings this year, winning by 13 at home and 20 on the road. Houston is the hottest team in the NBA, winners of twelve straight, going 10-2 ATS in the process. The Rockets have enjoyed this tremendous run of success by pounding one weak foe after the next, beating Minnesota, Milwaukee, Indiana, Sacramento Atlanta, and Miami, covering big pointspreads repeatedly in the process. Yao’s season ending injury made headlines in Houston all week, but the reality is that their overall level of improved play has come due to the success of their role players –point guard Rafer Alston, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Luther Head and the recently acquired Bobby Jackson. Facing a demoralized foe with both limited talent and depth, we can expect the Rockets role players to have their way throughout as they cruise to victory. Take the Rockets.
Alex Smart
New York Dragons -1.0
The NY Dragons behind one of the top Qbs in the history of the AFL Aaron Garcia , always have a chance to win when he is healthy. That was evident last season, when the team went 4-2 with him in the lineup and just 1-9 when he was injured. With the Dragons top gun Garcia ready to go, the transplanted Cleveland Gladiators look to extend a run that has seen them lose 14 of their L16. Yes, even despite of a upgrading in the off season with a veteran QB (Raymond Philyaw). Final notes & Key Trends: NY is is 12-3 ATS in their L15 road games with a total of between 100 and 104.5 PPG. Play on NY Dragons
Bob Harvey
Fairfield has a chance to get back to .500 on the season tonight on their homecourt. Side with Jonathan Han and the Stags to cover this spread against the Manhattan Jaspers.
Fairfield University (13-14 overall, 10-6 MAAC) brings a six-game winning streak into tonight's game against Manhattan College, a streak the team extended with a 60-51 win over Drexel University in the BracketBuster.
Jonathan Han tallied a team-high 14 points in the Drexel win, the ninth time he has been the team's leading scorer this year. All 14 of his points came in the second half, helping the Stags turn a four-point halftime lead into a nine-point win. Han leads the team in scoring with 11.3 points per game, more than half of a point better than Anthony Johnson's 9.6 points per contest. Han remains the MAAC leader with 6.18 assists per game and 38.3 minutes played per outing.
Marty O'Sullivan continues to raise his scoring average, as his nine-point against Drexel improved his average to 4.6 points per game. Manhattan College (11-16 overall, 5-11 MAAC) won three straight conference games since dropping a 66-61 decision to Fairfield at Draddy Gym on February 8. The Jaspers saw its three-game streak come to an end with a 66-56 loss to Binghamton in a BracketBuster game last Saturday. The Jaspers are 6-24-1 in their last 31 ATS.
Fairfield -6