Anthony Redd
10 Dime Broncos
Payne Sports
3 Units Pitt -½ FH
Mean Green Profit
Hornets -2
Fantasy Sports Gametime
NBA Basketball
100* Play Toronto (+6.5) over San Antonio
San Antonio has lost 3 of the last 4 games against the spread and they have also lost 13 of the last 18 games against the spread vs. Atlantic Division Opponents.
NCAA Basketball
100* Play North Carolina (-32) over FIU
Florida International has lost 12 of the last 15 road games against the spread when playing in the month of November and they have also lost 5 of the last 6 games against the spread vs. ACC Conference Opponents. Florida International averaged only 57 points a game on offense in road games last season.
MONEYLOCKOFTHEDAY
MNF GOY - PITT -2.5 (5 Units)
John Ryan
10* Denver Broncos
Mac Monster
10* Pittsburgh -3
Tim Trushel
Philadelphia 76ers
Northcoast
2* Denver
Marquee Over
Rated Picks
Denver Broncos: +3 2 units
Philadelphia 76ers: +2 2 units
New Orleans Hornets: -1 2 units
Chicago Black Hawks: -145 3 units
Denver Money
2* Chicago Blackhawks -150
1* LA/Chicago Under 5.5
Andre Gomes
PHI / PHO Over 212.5
For this game, I like the spot of the Sixers, as I expect them to be extremely competitive tonight, however my key number to make them a single dime play is +3, so I'm sticking only with the total play.
The Suns are one of the best teams in the league right now, just like their 6-1 record says so. Their offense is peaking right now and despite not receiving the same hype as in the past, Steve Nash is having an amazing start of the season. Yesterday he dished 17 assists against just 3 turnovers and the Suns dismantled the Wizards. Although the low scoring game may suggest (102-90 = 192 points) the game was a fast paced one as just every typical Suns game! The problem was that the Wizards couldn't keep the pace, as their biggest star players heavily struggled: Gilbert Arenas shot 7-22 from the field and Caron Butler shot 7-20 FG - they combined to shot 14-42 FG and the Wizards shot only 4-16 behind the arc. Meanwhile like usual the Suns made a great offensive performance by shooting 47.7 % from the field and 12-27 from 3pts line. They scored "just" 102 points because they weren't aggressive, as they went just 14 times to the charity stripe.
The Sixers also played yesterday against the Pistons and they are coming from a bad loss, as they lost by 81-88. They were outrebounded by 39-51 and 14-21 in offensive boards. They scored just 26 points in the paint and their big men had terrible games: Thaddeus Young shot 4-13 FG; Elton Brand 3-10 FG and Samuel Dalembert was non existent. I intentionally said such numbers because scoring points in the paint and grabbing offensive boards are the bread and the butter of this team and they were shut down yesterday by the Pistons. The good news is that the Suns aren't the Pistons as they are significantly "softer" down the post and the Sixers will be able to score easy points like they want to do. The Suns has allowed 40 or more points in the paint in all their games so far in the season and I expect the Sixers to pound them inside the post tonight.
These two teams love to score in fast transitions and it isn't surprisingly that they are already in the top in this department in the league averaging 15.0 and 15.8 fast break points per game respectively. The Sixers are a terrible team in defending the perimeter and already in this season, they were torched by the Magic who shot 16-29 3pts, the Knicks also connected 14 treys against them and the Celtics went 14-20 behind the arc. Well, the Suns are by far the best team in the league averaging 46.5% from the 3pts line and I expect them to have some nice numbers once again today.
In the preseason these two teams faced each other and I tracked the pace of both games: they were two extremely fast paced games with pace factors of 107 and 105. By the way, the games ended with 228 and 210 points despite their starters being on the bench most of the games. For tonight's contest I expect such similar pace and both teams will trade points from the start. My fair line for this game is 217 points and we are getting a nice edge on the Over. The Sixers offense was dismal in their last 3 games and this created the false perception that can't score against the Suns, but they will. Take the Over in here.
Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) Over 212.5
Teddy Covers
Steelers
Spurs
Scott Spreitzer
Monday Night Total of the Year
PITTSBURGH STEELERS vs DENVER BRONCOS
TAKE: UNDER
I'm playing the Under between the Steelers and Broncos on Monday night. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger had to lead this offense more with his arm at times this season than he's used to. He's been one of the best for a while now at throwing the ball on the run when teams bring a pass rush up the middle. Denver normally likes to rush the interior, but they know better against Big Ben. Best of all, Denver owns the talent to rush the QB from the outside. When this happens, Pittsburgh is forced to keep their TEs and backs in, as extra protection. Subsequently, the Steeler spread offense becomes much less effective. Pittsburgh is going to have to commit to the ground game enough to keep the Denver defense from teeing off from the perimeter. Obviously, this means less deep chances through the air for Ben; a clock that keeps running; and the potential for a low scoring game. The Broncos have played outstanding defense at home, holding their three "guests" to an average of 11 ppg on just 273.3-total yards per game. That includes a run defense that gives up just 74.7-yards per game on 3.07-yards per carry at home. Denver's pass defense has allowed just two passing TDs at home with a couple of picks. I also expect the Bronco offense to have their problems in this one. Kyle Orton will face a steady diet of blitz packages if the Broncos don't get the ground game in gear. Orton tends to look underneath for short routes when the blitz package is heavy. That means the passing game is going to be more of an extension of the running game in all likelihood, and not many chances to go deep. I expect the Denver coaching staff to look to bang away at the bruised Pittsburgh defensive line to off-set the Steelers' blitz-happy appro ach. Once again, we have a plan of attack that leads to shorter gains, the need for sustained drives, and the potential for a low scoring contest. Denver has had their way, so to speak, against good offenses...those averaging 350-yards or more per game. The Broncos have forced those teams into lower scoring games than expected, posting a 6-0 mark to the Under. The average final score in those six games is in the mid-30s. Six of Denver's seven games this season have stayed beneath tonight's total, and last week's final was misleading, yet still went Under tonight's number. The two teams combined for a grand total of 492-yards on just 4.1 yards per play. And there were only 23-total points on the board two minutes into the fourth quarter. Everything adds up to a low scoring game tonight, and having a pair of the better pass-rushers in the league on the field doesn't hurt. My Monday Night Total of the Year is a play on the Under.
Freddy Wills
4-Dime POD Steelers -2