Free Picks for Monday, October 23rd, 2017 from some of the nations best and worst handicappers
Randall The Handle
Redskins (3-2) at Eagles (5-1)
A rematch after the Eagles defeated the Redskins 30-17 on opening week. While the Redskins have shown improvement since then, Philadelphia has proven to be a top club in the NFL. Home after a big win in Carolina and on 10 days rest, these Eagles should be even stronger with the return of stalwart RT Lane Johnson after sitting out last week with a concussion and the Redskins suffering a blow to its defensive front four when impressive rookie Jonathan Allen broke his foot last week. Washington is playing well, having won three of past four, but were manhandled in opener when QB Kirk Cousins was under siege most of the game and the Eagles were able to force four turnovers. The Eagles are making money for their backers, currently on a 7-2 run vs. the number and they get the nod here. TAKING: EAGLES –4½
DAVE COKIN
76ERS AT PISTONS
PLAY: 76ERS +3.5
Philadelphia is still looking for its initial win of the new season. Expectations are the highest they’ve been in some time for the Sixers, so this 0-3 start already has the fan base unhappy. I can’t blame them a bit for that opinion, particularly off a very bad game against the Raptors.
But no complaints as far as Ben Simmons is concerned. No rust either, as Simmons has shown no indications of any physical worries coming off his injury.
Tobias Harris has looked really good for the Pistons, and Andre Drummond is shooting 100% from the foul line, which is actually astonishing. I don’t think this is a good team, but Detroit has been a bit of a surprise to start the season.
Bottom line for me on this game is that I still have the 76ers power rated higher than the Pistons, and that would indicate they have a little value as road dogs tonight. Just a lean, as I’ve decided to go very slowly out of the gate in the NBA until I have more data to work with. But if you’re looking for a little Monday pro hoops action, I’d opt for Philly here.
Ray Monohan
Los Angeles at Toronto
Play: Toronto -135
The Maple Leafs lay low juice on Monday and given home ice and how well they're playing, this one makes sense.
Toronto is going to be a top team it seems this season in the NHL. The Maple Leafs have won 6 of the first 8 games on the campaign and have won 3 of 4 at home to start the season.
Auston Matthews is on quite the tear here to start the season off as well. He has tallied at least a point in all but one of the first 8 games. He's the energy that this Maple Leafs team feeds off of and will really be a huge impact player on Monday.
Some trends to note. Maple Leafs are 4-0 in their last 4 Monday games.Maple Leafs are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Toronto is the better team here in this spot, given home ice and how well they are playing on the offensive end.
Jimmy Boyd
Wizards vs. Nuggets
Play: Under 223
Each of the Wizards first two games flew OVER the total with both games finishing with at least 226 points. I believe it has created some great value here on the total for Monday's game at Denver. The Nuggets in year's past have been a team that scores a lot and doesn't play a lot of defense. That's not been the case out of the gate for 2017.
The Nuggets have scored exactly 96 points in each of their first two games. They let the Jazz shoot 50.6% from the field and still held them to 106 points. The next time out at home they held the Kings to just 79 points and 36.5% shooting. There's a much bigger emphasis on defense and not as much shooting. With this game in Denver, I look for the Nuggets to control the tempo and keep this well below the mark the books have set.
We also find a great system in play. UNDER is 63-24 (72%) over the last 5 seasons when you have a total of 220 or more with a team off a win playing a team that's won 2 or more in a row.
Art Aronson
Grizzlies vs. Rockets
Play: Grizzlies +7½
Houston is 3-0 SU/ATS, while Memphis is 2-0 SU/ATS. The Rockets though have lost the services of All Star point guard Chris Paul to injury and we think the home side will struggle because of it this evening. Memphis comes in off a confidence boosting 111-101 win over Golden State, as big man Marc Gasol had 34 points and 14 boards. We think that Gasol and Mike Conley can give James Harden and company everything they can handle tonight. With Paul out for the Rockets, consider the Grizzlies and the points in this one.
Teddy Davis
Grizzlies vs. Rockets
Play: Under 211½
Like the under here tonight in this game as odds makers haven't adjusted enough for the Rockets this season as they aren't playing with quite the pace of play that they are used to.
Memphis ranks in the bottom 7 of pace of play and Rockets are right in the middle. Rockets have gone under the last two games and the Grizzlies have gone under in both of their games.
Larry Ness
Charlotte vs. Milwaukee
Pick: Milwaukee -6.5
The Bucks have opened 2-1 (lost 116-97 at home to Cleveland on Friday) but no one has come close to stopping Giannis Antetokounmpo. He has scored at least 34 points in each of his first three games and put up a career-high 44 on 17-of-23 shooting in Saturday's 113-110 win over Portland. The Charlotte Hornets are the next team to try their hand at slowing down the "Greek Freak," when they visit the Bradley Center on Monday. Charlotte has opened 1-1, rallying from 20 points down to top the Hawks 109-91 on Friday night, after losing 102-90 at Detroit last Wednesday to the Pistons.
The Hornets utilized a 24-0 run in the third quarter in that Friday win over the Hawks, overcoming a second straight sloppy effort that featured 15 first-half turnovers. Kemba Walker scored 26 points and after becoming an All Star last season, has begun the new year averaging 25.0-5.0-6.0. The Hornets acquired Dwight Howar in the off-season and the 13-year veteran is averaging a double-double (15.0 points & 15.0 rebounds) through the first two games but there is still a bit of an adjustment period both for Howard and his teammates. Cody Zeller was the starting center last season but has been moved to a reserve role behind Howard. He missed Friday's win (knee) and will probably be on the bench at Milwaukee. However, the Hornets are hoping that forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist can make his season debut after he was away from the team following the death of his grandmother.
"This is just the beginning," the 22-year-old Antetokounmpo told reporters. "I'm not done yet. We've got 79 more games plus playoffs, hopefully. It's just the beginning." Antetokounmpo is averaging 38.3-9.7-5.0 and has connected on 67.2 percent from the floor! Macolm Brogdon got more and more "PT" last year as the season wore on and with Embiid limited to 31 games, 'stole' the ROY award. He's the team's starting PG coming into this season and has opened averaging 16.0 PPG and 3.7 APG. Charlotte has had Milwaukee's number recently, winning 11 of the last 14 meetings but has dropped two in a row to the Bucks. This is now the "Antetokounmpo Era" and the Bucks should have little trouble at home against teams like the Hornets. Lay the points.
Mike Lundin
Philadelphia vs. Detroit
Pick: Detroit -3.5
The Detroit Pistons look like a solid home favorite when they host the Philadelphia 76ers Monday night.
It's just never easy to beat Detroit home in Michigan. They beat Charlotte 102-90 here at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 18 in their lone home game so far this season and are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
The 76ers are 2-8 ATS in the last 10 head-to-head meetings in Detroit and 0-2 SU (1-1 ATS) on the road this season. They took a 128-94 beating at Toronto on Saturday their last outing and they're just 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
I actually like the 76ers to cause quite a few upsets this season, but this is not one of those spots.
Jim Feist
Kings at Maple Leafs
Pick: Kings
These two clubs are red-hot to start the season, with the LAK Kings at 6-0-1 and Toronto at 6-2-0. Both clubs have been winning and scoring. The Kings have 27 goals in seven games while Toronto has 37 goals in their eight. The difference coming in goals allowed. The Leafs have allowed 28 while the Kings have allowed just 14. The Kings are 1st in the league in both goals allowed and in Penalty killing, while coming in 3rd in scoring. Toronto is the top scoring team and third in power play. Does a great defense beat a great offense? I find this more true in playoff situations. However, it's difficult to pass on the dog price with LA here. I'm going to take the value play and take the Kings.
Joey Juice
NHL free play action on Monday night as the San Jose Sharks take on the New York Rangers in the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. The Sharks just lost 5-3 on the road to the other N.Y. team, the Islanders, while the Rangers just won 4-2 at home over the Predators. Here are your Goalies for tonight: Martin Jones vs Henrik Lundqvist.
A look inside the numbers tells you all you need to know about who to bet on in this game. The Sharks are a horrible road team, just 3-9 in their last 12 road games. Furthermore, they don't play well without rest, they are 1-5 in their last six games playing on one days rest.
The New York the numbers are revealing as well. The Rangers are 29-11 in their last 40 vs. the Pacific, and 27-13 in their last 40 when their opponent allows five goals or more in their previous game
Let's face it, neither of these two teams have gotten off to the start they had hoped for this season, but the Rangers are coming off a confidence-building home win over the Predators and they should carry that through this game, before they are knocked back down to reality.
Final numbers to consider in this one, the Home team is 4-0 the last four games in this series.
Bet the Rangers.
3* N.Y. RANGERS
Tommy Brunson
Monday night comp play is the Pistons as the small home favorite over the Sixers.
Philly is chock-full-of young talent, but that talent needs time to meld together, as evidenced by the early returns. The Sixers are winless through their first 3 games this year, and have dropped their last pair of decisions by double-digits.
Detroit has come out of the gate with wins in 2 of 3, and covers in all 3. The Pistons have a new arena they are playing in, and this will be their second time on the hardwood at the Little Caesar's Arena after having beaten the Charlotte Hornets on opening night by a dozen points.
The Pistons have controlled the recent series meetings, winning and covering in 6 of the past 7, and they own an 8-2 home spread mark over the 76ers in the last 10 series meetings.
Lay it with Detroit.
4* DETROIT
Marc Lyle
Grizzlies vs. Rockets
Play: Rockets -7½
I have Houston winning this game by double digits so we have solid value right here. With Paul going down Harden is back to leading the offense and this will be a more up tempo team. Memphis making their first road trip into Houston will be tough. Memphis is a good team but this is a very tough spot for them in the early going on a new season.
Brandon Lee
Raptors vs. Spurs
Play: Under 206
The Raptors come in averaging an impressive 122.5 ppg through 2 games, but have faced a horrible Bulls team and the 76ers on no rest without their best player in Embiid. Things are about to get a heck of lot harder, as the Spurs are one of the most disciplined defenses in the league. They held the same Bulls team that scored 100 at Toronto to just 77 in Chicago. They also held the Timberwolves revamped roster to just 99. Raptors have been playing well defensively and I like the matchup here. Spurs offense has run through Aldridge with Leonard and Parker out. Toronto has a pretty good option to defend Aldridge in Ibaka. UNDER is 26-13 over the last 3 season in Raptors games when they are listed as a road dog of 6 points or less and the average score in this games is 194.5 ppg.
John Martin
Kings vs. Suns
Play: Suns -1
I always like backing teams in their first game after making a coaching change. The Suns fired Earl Watson as he simply wasn't getting the job done. Associate head coach Jay Triano is taking over for Watson as the interim head coach. Triano spent parts of four seasons (2008-11) as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. He is in his second season with the Suns after spending four years as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers, one when Watson was a player there. Now they're up against a team that is just as bad as they are in the Sacramento Kings. The Suns have the better talent and chemistry, and for one night, should respond to the coaching change.