Stephen Nover
Dec 08 '17, 7:05 PM in 8h
NBA | Nuggets vs Magic
Play on: UNDER 219 -102
I expect the Nuggets to play much better defense than they did in their last game, a 123-114 road loss to the Pelicans on Wednesday. Orlando doesn't have a dominant big man such as DeMarcus Cousins, who ate up the Nuggets underneath. Denver is not going to look to past fast either as this is its third road game in five days. Denver loses inside defense with Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap both out. But the Nuggets also lose much of their inside scoring as those are the Nuggets' second and third leading scorers. The loss of Jokic and Millsap puts a lot of scoring pressure on Denver's backcourt and its guards are erratic. The Magic's offense took a major hit with Evan Fournier suffering a sprainked ankle during the team's last game. Fourier is out. So not only do the Magic lose their second-leading scorer and top 3-point shooter, but their delicate offensive balance is thrown out of whack. Orlando will be missing swingman Terrence Ross and forward Jonathan Isaac, too. I don't see a lot of scoring coming from Aaron Afflalo, D.J. Augustin, Wes Iwundu and Shelvin Mack, who all gain more minutes because of the injuries. Neither team gets much scoring, or good shooting, from their point guards. (Editor's note: Stephen has yet to lose on any of his nine NBA premium plays this month and has his NBA Total of the Week and Sides Destroyer going today in addition to this free selection.)
Ray Monohan
Dec 08 '17, 8:05 PM in 9h
NBA | Raptors vs Grizzlies
Play on: Grizzlies +6½ -101 at 5Dimes
Memphis +6.5
The Grizzlies grab points at home here and are worth a move on Friday.
Memphis has endured a lot of downs this season, but this team still does have that savvy leadership and ability to really clamp down defensively.
Memphis has averaged just 101.0 points against this year as their tempo really can mess with opponents.
Look for Center Marc Gasol to be huge piece to the value here. Memphis can control the paint and really play through him here against a Toronto defense that allows 105 points per game.
Some trends to note. Raptors are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.Raptors are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
Look for this one to stay close throughout.
Back Memphis.
Scott Spreitzer
Dec 08 '17, 10:00 PM in 11h
NCAA-B | Air Force vs UC Riverside
Play on: Air Force -1½ -115 at BMaker
I'm recommending a play on Air Force on Friday night. UC-Riverside has struggled badly on the offensive end, ranked 329th, 339th, and 349th, in FG percentage, points per game, and 3-point percentage, respectively. It's hard to imagine things getting much better tonight against the deliberate pace of the Air Force Falcons. Neither team scores a lot of points, but the Falcons own advantages in a few key categories. AFA is the better shooting team. They're better at forcing turnovers and UCR has a poor 0.72 assists/turnovers ratio, averaging just 12 assists per game and 17 turnovers per contest. The Mountain West entry also makes 79% of their FTA, while UCR is south of 70% at the stripe. I bring these stats up because the importance is magnified in what might turn out to be a "first team to 60" pace. The Falcons are actually on a 7-2 ATS run against Big West opposition, while UCR has covered just 1 of their last 11 against MWC teams and they're on a 5-17 ATS slide at home. I'm recommending a play on Air Force on Friday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.
Scott Rickenbach
Dec 08 '17, 8:35 PM in 9h
NHL | Sabres vs Blackhawks
Play on: Sabres +170 at Bovada
Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach Free Pick NHL Friday Buffalo Sabres Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - Let's not kid ourselves...Buffalo is not a very good hockey team. However, what happens when a sub-par team off of a win faces a 2 to 1 fave that is slumping even worse than they are? You have a VERY dangerous big dog...that is what happens! The Sabres buoyed their confidence with a road win at Colorado in their most recent game. They now face a Blackhawks team that has lost 5 straight games! Also, Chicago is off of a road game back east and on shorter rest than Buffalo is. The Blackhawks, long-term, have lost 111 of 196 (-$22,500) when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The Sabres, when off of a non-conference game, have been a 50-50 proposition this season as they've won 5 of 10. 50% odds on a team that is in the +170 price range is a shot worth taking against a team that has lost 5 straight! Free Pick on BUFFALO
Jimmy Boyd
Dec 08 '17, 7:05 PM in 8h
NBA | Nuggets vs Magic
Play on: OVER 218 -110
Free pick on Nuggets/Magic OVER
The Nuggets are just 3-9 on the road this season and have lost 4 straight. A big reason for those road woes is Denver struggles to play any defense away from home. The Nuggets are giving up 111.9 ppg on the road this season and over the 4-game road skid have allowed 119 ppg, while allowing teams to shoot 54% from the field.
Orlando is 3-11 overall in their last 14. While they have had some poor offensive showings, the offense isn't why they are struggling. The Magic have allowed 100 or more points in 11 straight games and are giving up 110.8 ppg on average this season.
Both teams are missing some key players to injury, but there's more than enough talent here for these two teams to fly past this total set by the books. OVER is 10-4 in the Magic's last 14 off a win and 7-2 in their last 9 overall. OVER is also 16-5 in the Nuggets last 21 road games with a line of +3 to -3 and 20-9 in their last 29 after playing in a game that had 235 or more combined points. Take the OVER!
Dustin Hawkins
Dec 08 '17, 8:05 PM in 9h
NBA | Mavs vs Bucks
Play on: Bucks -7½ -110 at betonline
Free Play on Bucks -7½ -110
St. John's vs. ARIZONA STATE (-5') - at Los Angeles, CA
By Joey Juice
Arizona State will continue to ride their star White, who is averaging 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. ASU,.as a collective unit, can flat out shoot the shit out of the ball. They rank 5th in the nation, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor as a team. That's pure water!
St. John’s is no friend to gamblers. They are 2-8 ATS last 10 against winning opponents, 2-8 ATS last 10 against opponents with winning percentages over .600, and oddly enough they are 1-4 ATS last five games played at neutral sites.
That is in stark contrast to The Sun Devils, who are 6-0 ATS in their last six overall, 6-0 ATS in their last six non-conference matchups, 6-0 ATS in their last six contests following a win, 4-0 ATS in their last four against winning opponents, and 5-2 ATS in their last seven against teams with winning percentages over .600.
In its best start since 1980, The Arizona State Sun Devils remain undefeated heading into this matchup with St John's.
The Red Storm have won three in a row which is why we have such a tremendous value in the line here. Who did they beat? Central Florida, Sacred Heart, and Grand Canyon? Sorry, that doesn't impress me at all.
Take the Arizona State Sun Devils.
4* ARIZONA STATE
Cleveland (-3') at INDIANA
By Tommy Brunson
Friday night comp play is the Cavaliers over the Pacers.
Hard not to jump on Cleveland at this price, as all the Cavs have done is win their last 13 games straight up, and they have made good against the points in 6 of their last 8 games played away from home.
Indiana is not going to be a pushover, as they have won 3 straight at home, and they have gone 11-4-1 against the spread in the past 16 meetings against the Cavaliers.
Still, Cleveland can set a franchise record if they are able to extend their winning ways to 14 straight. Twice before with LeBron James on the team the Cavaliers have won 13 in a row - 2009 and 2010 - but this win would set the franchise mark.
Count on it happening.
Cavs minus the road wood.
3* CLEVELAND
im Feist's Comp Pick, Friday, December 8, 2017
12/08 05:05 PM PT / 8:05 PM ET
NBA (511) DALLAS MAVERICKS VS (512) MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Take: UNDER
Reason: Your free play for Friday, December 8, 2017 is in the NBA contest between the Dallas Mavericks and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Dallas Mavericks (7-18 S/U, 11-14 ATS) takes on the Milwaukee Bucks (13-10 S/U, 9-11-3 ATS) tonight. I'm going to be looking at the UNDER here tonight. The Mavs have been a good under team this year, averaging just 100.3 ppg and going under in 10 of their 25 games with 1 push. The Mavs are also 3-10 O/U in their last 13 games as an underdog. In addition they are 5-11 O/U in their last 16 games overall. The Bucks have also been a decent under team, 2-6-1 O/U their last nine home games. Your free play is on the UNDER.
Paul Leiner
Pick: Toronto Raptors -6 Units: 100*
Mike Stone
Pick: Oregon -14.5 Units: 1000
Brandon Lee
Dec 08 '17, 8:00 PM in 7h
NCAA-B | St. John's vs Arizona State
Play on: Arizona State -5 -105 at 5Dimes
10* FREE NCAAB PICK (Arizona State -5)
I'll take my chances here with the Sun Devils in Friday's neutral site showdown against St. John's in the Hall of Fame Classic at the Staples Center in LA. Arizona State comes in undefeated at 7-0 and it's no fluke, as the Sun Devils have wins over San Diego State, Kansas State and Xavier. Bobby Hurley has this team clicking on all cylinders on the offensive side of the ball, as ASU enters averaging 92.7 ppg, more than 20 points over what their opponents are averaging.
The Red Storm have started out 8-1, but a lot of that has to do with an easy schedule to start out. Their best wins are against the likes of Nebraska, UCF and Oregon State. Their biggest challenge was Missouri and they lost that game by 8-points. St. John's has a big time scorer in Shamorie Ponds, who is scoring 20.2 ppg, but still go through long stretches where the offense struggles to score. They will also be playing this game without second leading scorer Marcus Lovett, who is putting in nearly 15 ppg. I just don't think the Red Storm will be able to score enough to keep this one close. Give me the Sun Devils -5!
Arthur Ralph Sports
FRI: UNDER Total Cav's/Pacers 218
RYAN WORDEN
NBA | Dec 08, 2017
Bulls vs. Hornets
Bulls+9
This is a good spot for Chicago to not only get the cover but maybe win their 5th game of the season. It's no secret that Chicago is going to finish with an historically bad record. The Bulls are actually not that bad at the betting window though, cashing about half of their games including 7 of the 13 on the road. You can't accuse the Bulls players of not trying hard of late to get back in the winners circle. They have lost 5 of their last 6 games by 7 points or less, the lone blowout was against Cleveland.
The Hornets aren't very good right now, losers of 11 of their last 15 straight up. They've only managed to cash in 5 of those 15 games. To make matters worse, after all star Kemba Walker returned from injury two games ago the Hornets lost Frank Kaminsky and Cody Zeller to injury in their loss to the Warriors. Charlotte also just happens to be the last team Chicago beat, a 123-120 win at the United Center on November 17th. I see a tight game coming down to the wire with both teams having a chance to win it. Take The Points and The Bulls To Cover Friday Night.
John Martin
Dec 08 '17, 7:05 PM in 4h
NBA | Bulls vs Hornets
Play on: Bulls +9½ -105 at 5Dimes
1 Unit FREE PLAY on Chicago Bulls +9.5
The Chicago Bulls are catching too many points tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. They are getting no love right now due to their current 10-game losing streak. But five of their last six losses have come by 7 points or less, including three of their last four by 1, 1 and 2 points. They are much better than their record. I don’t see the Hornets showing up tonight after playing the Warriors last time out. They won’t be nearly as excited to face the Bulls tonight. Nikola Mirotic, who suffered facial fractures in a preseason fight with Bobby Portis, is expected to make his much-anticipated season debut tonight against the Hornets. The Bulls are almost fully healthy now with the only player missing in Zach LaVine, who has been out for the season up to this point. The Hornets will be missing key bench players Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky. The Hornets have lost five of their last six and can’t be laying this many points to Chicago tonight. Give me the Bulls.