Harvey Slavin
Vancouver Canucks (-125) vs. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks will try to avoid a fifth straight home loss to the Canucks tonight. Vancouver is 12-3-0 since the beginning of February thanks to their defense. They’re giving up only 2.30 goals per game in that span. The Canucks are 7-3-2 on the road since the start of 2009. The Ducks are having goalie problems. Jean-Sebastien Giguere is just 3-4-1 with a 3.81 GAA in his last 8 starts. Vancouver is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two clubs.
Play: Vancouver (-125) 3 Units
SEABASS
50* Duquesne
50* East Carolina
50* NJ Nets
Dr. Bob
NBA Opinion
ORLANDO (-8) over Chicago
The Magic haven’t been as good in general without All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson, but they’ve continued to play very well after a loss and that is the situation that they are in tonight. Orlando is now 37-13 ATS after a loss in two seasons under coach Stan Van Gundy, including 6-1 ATS this season without Nelson. The Magic are also very good with same season revenge (26-6 ATS) and they will be looking to payback the Bulls for a 102-120 loss in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. My ratings only favor the Magic by 7 points in this game and I’m not going to give up the line value to make this a Best Bet, but using only Orlando’s games after a loss would yield a prediction of Magic by 11 ½ points, so it is certainly worth leaning towards the Magic here.
College Opinions
West Virginia (-5 ½) over Notre Dame
Notre Dame did not compete well against better teams this season, as the Irish were just 1-9 straight up and 2-8 ATS against teams that are seeded ahead of them in this tournament, while also going just 1-3 straight up and 1-3 ATS in non-conference games against good teams (beat Texas by 1, but lost to North Carolina, Ohio State and UCLA). West Virginia also struggled against the better teams in the Big East, but the Mountaineers are 8-0 against teams seeded at #10 or higher and they’re 6-0 ATS in those games when not favored by 15 points or more, including a 79-68 win as a 9 ½ point home favorite over the Irish. My ratings favor West Virginia by 7 points in this game and the 152-49-6 ATS situation favoring the Mounties is stronger than the 43-13 ATS situation favoring Notre Dame. I’ll lean with the Mountaineers at -5 ½ or -6 points, but I’d take West Virginia in a 2-Star Best Bet at -5 or less.
Portland State (-7) over Montana State
Montana State has pulled off consecutive upset wins in this tournament but Portland State should end that streak tonight in the finals of the Big Sky Conference tournament. Portland State applies to a very good 111-36-4 ATS situation that won last night with Western Kentucky, but my ratings only favor the Vikings by 6.3 points and Montana State has covered 8 straight as a dog of 7 points or more. I’ll still lean with Portland State at -7 or less based on the strong situation, and I’d take Portland State in a 2-Star Best Bet at -6 or less.
DOC
3-Unit Play Take New Orleans/Washington UNDER 193
Five of the last six meetings have gone under. The Wizards have had two-straight games over 100 points but both of those were against up-tempo teams. We just don’t see them having great scoring nights for three straight games, especially against one of the top defenses in the NBA. This team struggles overall offensively and is one of the worst scoring teams in the league. New Orleans has been playing incredible defense, holding their last seven opponents to an average of 91 PPG and no team has surpassed 96 during that span. Even though the Wizards defense isn’t great, they have held four of their last seven under 100 and they have been decent in that aspect lately with only one real bad defensive game against Dallas.
5-Unit Play Take Memphis -2 ½ Over Minnesota
Both of these teams are terrible but we think Memphis is a team that will be on an upswing to end the season while it seems like the bottom has fallen out on this Minnesota club. Tonight the Griz get Rudy Gay, one of their best players, back while Minnesota will be missing one of their best, Randy Foye. Minnesota was playing their best basketball before the All-Star Break until Al Jefferson went down and now without Foye we don’t think this team has a clutch guy who can put this team over the top tonight. For the bookies to make a favorite of a team that has won only four games all season has to tell you something. We see the Grizzlies getting a big win tonight and don’t think this one will even be close. Memphis is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
3-Unit Play Take Oklahoma City +14 Over Denver
The Thunder are banged up right now but we just think that this team has a lot of heart and competes night in and night out no matter whom is on the court. This team is 12-3 ATS this season as an underdog of more than 11 points. Denver has lost five of their last six overall and the Thunder have won five of their last six with Kevin Durant out that whole stretch and missing their No. 2 guy, Jeff Green, who should return tonight. Oklahoma City has covered three straight in this series and we think they will keep it close again tonight.
Helmut
Cal-Riverside Under 130
Last season the Titans were a very up-tempo team and this season they have slowed it down some averaging almost 8 fewer points per game. Both the previous meetings between these teams were slower tempo games and I would expect the same kind of game tonight. Neither one of these teams shoots it that well when playing each other this season. Both the coaches and players are expecting another slug fest that probably goes down to the wire as each of the previous games played out.
RON RAYMOND
5* Mavericks / Trailblazers Under 195.5
5* East Carolina /Tulane Under 136
5* Vancouver Canucks -120
Purelock
TEXAS A&M
Executive
250% Stanford -7
250% Oregon +9
Scott Rickenbach
Top Play
New Orleans Hornets
Payday
Mt. St. Mary
Mike Lineback
Jazz/Hawks Under
Tom Stryker
4* TEXAS A&M
Alatex
20* Superplay Oregon State
Jefferson-Sports
West Virg -6
SMTM Sports Picks
2* SMU +12
2* Seton Hall +7
2* Cal Irvine -2
2* texas tech under 148
1* Tulane -2.5