Thursday 12/5/19 thread for free handicapping service plays and expert predictions for NFL, NCAAF, & NBA games
Mitchell Newman
I know the Washington Wizards like to play them high, but the total on their game tonight at home against the Philadelphia 76ers appears to be a few baskets too high if you ask me.
Philly is fresh off a Monday night home Under in their game against the Utah Jazz to put them on a 7-2 Under run for their last 9 games on the year. The Sixers are allowing under 104 points per game, so while the Wizards come in with a 118-plus points per game average, I do not see them hitting that mark this Thursday night against the superior 76ers.
The Wizards last pair of games have both sailed well Over the posted price, but have actually seen a 3-3 split for their last 6 games in the Over/Under department.
First meeting of the year between the Eastern Conference rivals and the last 4 played between the teams have ended in a 2-2 split as far as the totals are concerned.
When Philadelphia is priced as the favorite this season, the Under has been the play in 6 of their last 7 games in that favored role.
Brett Brown knows that he cannot allow Washington to get out and play free and easy tonight, so expect him to slow this game down and keep it at Philly's preferred slower more defensively-paced kind of a contest.
Just a few points too many tonight to back the Over.
Go Under in Philly-Washington for Thursday.
2* PHILADELPHIA-WASHINGTON UNDER
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Bob Valentino
Time to make some cold, hard cash and I will do so with the total on this Dallas-Chicago meeting to open up Week Fourteen of the NFL season.
Both the Cowboys and the Bears enter this Thursday game at 6-6 and both also enter this Thursday game having played last Thursday on Thanksgiving so both have the same amount of rest under their belts. Yes, Chicago does have the home field advantage on their side, and they also enter as the "hotter" of the two teams, as the Bears have won 2 straight and 3 of their last 4, while the Cowboys are off 2 straight losses and setbacks in 3 of their last 4.
Even so, still willing to lay the points with the Pokes in this road game, as I am more of a believer in their talent - especially on offense - than I am a believer in Mitchell Trubisky and this anemic Chicago offense that is averaging under 18 points per game for the year.
A closer look as the Chicago uptick shows 2 of their 3 wins in that stretch coming against the lowly Lions and the other win against the 8 losses in a row New York Giants. A closer look at Dallas' current slide show a hard-fought loss to the 10-2 Patriots in the rain in New England, and a Turkey Day turkey of an effort against the 9-3 Buffalo Bills on their home field.
Willing to look past that clunker against the Bills, as Dak Prescott rates the edge in my book over Mitchell Trubisky and I have to believe that Ezekiel Elliott is about due for a big game after being kept under wraps over the past few weeks.
While both are 6-6, the chances the Bears catch the teams in front of them in the NFC North are slim and none. Meanwhile, the Cowboys actually are in the lead in the lame NFC East, so even though they have been on the losing side in their last pair, Dallas has a chance to circle their wagons here and get themselves above the break even mark through 13 games.
True, the Cowboys are 0-5 against teams with a winning record this season, but the Bears at 6-6 do not currently fit the profile of a winning team and until I see more evidence that their offense can actually score on a consistent basis, I will play against Da Bears.
Take Dallas as the road favorite tonight.
2* DALLAS
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Paul Leiner
NBA & CBB Picks 12/5
100* Sixers -6
100* La Tech +8.5
100* Oklahoma -6
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Kenny Walker
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NHL | Wild vs Lightning
Play on: Lightning -200 at YouWager
Free Pick on Lightning
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Bobby Conn
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NHL | Golden Knights vs Islanders
Play on: Golden Knights +105 at YouWager
1* Free Play on Golden Knights +105
While the Golden Knights (15-11-4, 34 points) struggle to keep up in the Pacific, the Islanders (18-6-2, 38 points) trail only Washington in the Metropolitan. Tonight, these two clubs will face off in New York.
Vegas used an overtime game followed by a shootout game to kick off their current four-game winning streak. One of those four wins came against tonight’s opponent, who they beat by a score of 4-1 in New York. Vegas has scored four goals in three of those four wins.
On average, the Golden Knights are scoring 2.93 goals per game (T-17th) while allowing 2.83 goals per game (12th).
Marc-Andre Fleury has racked up 11 wins for Vegas while allowing 2.54 goals per game with a .919 save percentage. However, Malcolm Subban has played in each of Vegas’ last five games, winning four of them.
Prior to Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to Montreal, the Islanders won a pair of games over Columbus and Detroit. However, New York has now won just two of their last six games. In five of those six games, the Islanders have failed to score more than two goals.
On average, the Islanders are scoring 2.88 goals per game (19th) while allowing 2.42 goals per game (3rd).
Mathew Barzal leads New York in every major offensive category with 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points.
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Steve Janus
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NBA | 76ers vs Wizards
Play on: 76ers -6½ -109 at GTBets
1* Free Sharp Play on 76ers -6½ -109
My money is on the 76ers to cash in an easy win and cover on the road against the Wizards. Philadelphia has won 4 straight and 8 of 9 overall with the only loss coming at Toronto. They should have no problem here turning this into a blowout. Wizards are the worst defensive team in the league and are going to be without big man Thomas Bryant and if Mortiz Wagner can't go they will be down their top 3 centers. Bryant isn't just a loss defensively, he's Washington's second leading scorer and the only guy on their team averaging more than 6 rebounds a game. 76ers are going to score at will here and I don't see Washington keeping pace. BET PHILADELPHIA -6.5!
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Cole Faxon
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NHL | Blackhawks vs Bruins
Play on: Blackhawks +210 at Bovada
FREE PLAY on Blackhawks +210
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Rob Vinciletti
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NBA | 76ers vs Wizards
Play on: OVER 234 -106
The NBA Comp play is on the over in the Philadelphia at Washington game at 7:30 eastern. this game fits a nice totals system that pertains to rested road favorites like Philly off a home favored win and cover with a 210 or higher total vs a team like Washington off a spread loss in a game where the line was -3 to +3. Philly has gone over in 6 of 8 as a road favorite in this ranger and 27of 38 on the road vs losing home teams as well as 4 of 5 on Thursdays. Washington has flown over in 14 of 17 as a dog, 23 of 34 off a loss and 8 of the last 11 overall. Look for this game to go over tonight. For the NBA Free play go with the over in the Washington vs Philadelphia game. RV- GC Sports
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Mike Williams
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NHL | Wild vs Lightning
Play on: Wild +200 at Bovada
1* on Wild +200
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Hunter Price
Dec 05 '19, 7:05 PM in 7h
NHL | Golden Knights vs Islanders
Play on: Islanders -120 at Bovada
1* Free Pick on Islanders -120
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Jimmy Boyd
Dec 05 '19, 7:35 PM in 8h
NBA | Nuggets vs Knicks
Play on: Knicks +9½ -110 at Bovada
1* NBA - Free Pick on New York Knicks +9½
I like the value here with the Knicks as a near double-digit dog at home against the Nuggets. This line has clearly been inflated in favor of Denver, as the perception on New York couldn't be much worse right now. Knicks have lost 7 straight and are fresh off a 132-88 blowout loss at Milwaukee.
Any time a team gets embarrassed the way NY just did, they tend to bounce back with a big effort and that's what I'm counting on here from the Knicks. I also think they are catching the Nuggets at the right time. Denver is off back-to-back losses and their best player, Nikola Jokic is in a funk, as he's averaging just 9.0 ppg in his last 4 contests.
Nuggets are also just 3-8 ATS last 11 road games against a team that's won fewer than 40% of their home games, while the Knicks are a profitable 6-2 ATS last 8 times they are coming off a loss of more than 10-points. Take New York!
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Totals Guru
Dec 05 '19, 7:35 PM in 8h
NBA | Nuggets vs Knicks
Play on: OVER 201½ -110
Free Total Annihilator On Nuggets vs Knicks over 201½ -110
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Brandon Lee
Dec 05 '19, 8:05 PM in 8h
NBA | Suns vs Pelicans
Play on: Pelicans -3 -109 at GTBets
10* FREE NBA PICK (Pelicans -3)
I'll take my chances here with New Orleans laying a short number at home against the Suns. I think this is a good spot to buy low on the Pelicans, who come in having lost 6 straight. The thing is, the schedule has been brutal during this stretch. I also think this is a good spot to fade Phoenix, as the Suns are in a slump of their own having gone just 2-7 in their last 9. Phoenix is also playing their 3rd road game in 4 days. They will be in the second straight of a back-to-back after playing in Orlando last night. New Orleans on the other hand has been at home since Nov. 30th. Give me the Pelicans -3!
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Sean Murphy
Dec 05 '19, 10:00 PM in 10h
NCAA-B | Northern Illinois vs St. Mary's
Play on: St. Mary's -13 -108 at Pinnacle
Thursday NCAAB Free play. My selection is on St. Mary's minus the points over Northern Illinois at 10 pm et on Thursday.
Northern Illinois has reeled off six straight wins, including a 24-point rout of Oakland as a short favorite last time out. It should get a rude awakening as it travels west to face St. Mary's on Thursday night, however. The Gaels haven't lost since suffering a stunning loss at the hands of Winthrop (as a 19.5-point favorite) back on November 11th. Since then, St. Mary's has barely had to break a sweat and I expect it to keep rolling in its home gym on Thursday night. Take St. Mary's (8*).
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