SPORTS ADVISORS
Pittsburgh (7-3, 4-6 ATS) at Cincinnati (1-8-1, 4-6 ATS)
The Steelers, hoping to regain their early-season form in a third straight home game, take on the lowly Bengals in an AFC North contest at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh got a field goal in the final seconds last week to beat San Diego 11-10 as a 4½-point home chalk, failing to cover after a fumble-return TD was controversially waived off on the Chargers’ ensuring series as time ran out. QB Ben Roethlisberger (31 of 41, 308 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs) led a turnover-free offense that nearly doubled San Diego in total yards (410-218), but the Steelers failed to find the end zone, scoring on three field goals and a safety.
Prior to last week, the SU winner had cashed in five straight Pittsburgh games.
Cincinnati came off its bye and forged a 13-13 tie with Philadelphia on Sunday, cashing as a heavy 9½-point home pup for its second consecutive spread-cover. The Bengals scored just three points in the second half and were outgained 391-282 overall, but they picked off Eagles QB Donovan McNabb three times en route to a 4-1 edge in turnovers, helping them stay in the game.
The Steelers field the league’s leading defense in total yards allowed (238.1 per game), passing yards (169.2) and rushing yards (68.9), and they are second in points allowed (15.0). The Bengals, meanwhile, are giving up 24.9 ppg (24th) while averaging a paltry 13.8 ppg on offense, rating 31st, above only the reeling Raiders.
Pittsburgh is on a 4-0 SU and ATS surge in this rivalry, including a 38-10 blitzing a month ago laying nine points on the road. In fact, the road team has gone 7-1 ATS in the last eight series clashes. Also, the SU winner has cashed in each of the last 10 head-to-head meetings.
The Steelers are on a 1-3 ATS skid overall and are on additional pointspread slides of 0-4 at Heinz Field, 1-5 in November contests and 2-6 on grass. The Bengals are on ATS declines of 1-6 against the AFC, 2-8 after a spread-cover and 2-6 inside the division, but they carry positive ATS trends of 16-5-1 in November and 11-5 on the road against teams with a winning home record.
The over for Pittsburgh is on runs of 44-16-2 at home, 8-2 against AFC foes and 5-2 in division play, and in this rivalry, the over is on a 5-1 stretch at Heinz Field. Finally, last month’s meeting in Cincinnati flew over the posted price of 36½.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(23) Miami, Fla. (7-3, 5-4 ATS) at Georgia Tech (7-3, 5-2-1 ATS)
Miami, seeking its sixth straight victory, travels to Atlanta for a key ACC Coastal Division showdown against Georgia Tech.
The Hurricanes held off Virginia Tech 16-14 last Thursday night for their fifth consecutive victory, but they failed to cover as a four-point home chalk, halting a three-game ATS run. It was a defensive battle throughout, with Virginia Tech narrowly outgaining Miami 250-247 overall, but the ‘Canes pulled away from a 7-7 halftime tie with three second-half field goals before the Hokies got a late touchdown. QB Robert Marve (7 of 16, 121 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs) was unimpressive, but Miami did finish with a 123-77 edge in rushing yards.
The Yellow Jackets tumbled to North Carolina 28-7 two weekends ago as a 5½-point road pup, falling to 1-2 SU and 0-2-1 ATS in their last three starts. Georgia Tech rolled up a whopping 326 yards rushing (6.0 ypc) and finished with a 423-314 edge in total yards, but lost the turnover battle 3-0 in falling behind 21-0. RB Jonathan Dwyer (22 carries, 157 yards) paced the Jackets, scoring on an 85-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
Miami’s defense is among the top 15 in the country in total yards allowed (279.8 per game, 9th), rushing yards allowed (103.2, 13th) and passing yards allowed (176.6, 15th). However, Georgia Tech ranks eighth nationally in rushing (250.7 ypg) and 17th in yards per carry (5.1).
Georgia Tech has won and covered the last three in this rivalry, including a 17-14 road win catching two points last year, and the road team is on a 4-1 ATS uptick in the last five meetings between these two.
With the non-cover against Virginia Tech, the Hurricanes are now on a 7-16-1 ATS slide in ACC play, but they are on positive pointspread runs of 5-0 overall on the highway and 4-0 in roadies against teams with a winning home record. The Yellow Jackets are on ATS surges of 5-2-1 overall, 4-1-1 after a SU loss and 14-6-1 after a non-cover, but they are in ATS ruts of 2-5-1 at home, 1-7 coming off a bye, 1-4 on Thursday and 2-5-1 against winning teams.
The under for Miami is on streaks of 45-22 overall, 9-2 on Thursday, 4-1 on grass and 20-6 in November, and the under for Georgia Tech is on stretches of 4-1 overall, 5-0 after a bye, 6-1 in the ACC and 15-4 on Thursday. Finally, four of the past five clashes in this rivalry have stayed low.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Southern Illinois (2-0, 1-0 ATS) vs. (10) Duke (3-0, 1-2 ATS)
(at New York)
Duke returns to the court for the first time since surviving a scare at home against Rhode Island on Sunday when it meets Southern Illinois in the opening round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden.
The Blue Devils needed to make four free throws in the waning moments to rally past Rhode Island 82-79, coming up way short as a 25½-point home favorite. The Blue Devils shot 45.5 percent from the field, missing 13 of 17 tries from the three-point line, while allowing Rhode Island to make 54.7 percent of its shots (10-for-14 from long range). But they won the game at the charity stripe, going 28-for-32 on foul shots compared with 11-for-16 for the Rams.
Duke, which has scored at least 80 points in all three of its contests, has failed to cash in five of its last six games going back to last year’s ACC Tournament, and the Blue Devils are 4-11-1 ATS in their last 16 lined outings (all as a favorite).
Southern Illinois opened the season last week with home victories on consecutive days, knocking off California (Pennsylvania) 66-52 in a non-lined contest and topping UMass 80-73 as a five-point chalk. The SU winner is 31-3-1 ATS in Southern Illinois games going back to the beginning of last season.
The Salukis are 13-6 SU in their last 19 games, going 11-6-1 ATS in lined contests during this stretch. They’re also 5-2 ATS in their last seven neutral-site affairs and 5-2 ATS in their last seven after a SU victory. Meanwhile, in addition to its ongoing 3-10-1 ATS funk, Duke is in the midst of pointspread downturns of 7-20 at neutral sites, 1-4 in non-conference play and 2-8-1 after a SU win.
For Southern Illinois, the under is on streaks of 12-5-1 in non-conference play, 19-7 at neutral sites, 5-0 on Thursdays and 45-22 following a spread-cover. Also, Duke sports “under” runs of 8-1 overall, 7-0 at neutral sites and 36-17 in non-league action.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS and UNDER
Michigan (2-0, 1-0 ATS) vs. (4) UCLA (2-0, 0-2 ATS)
(at New York)
Michigan and UCLA get together for a non-conference clash for the seventh straight season, this time at Madison Square Garden in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
The Wolverines, who are coming off an ugly 10-22 season (11-19 ATS) in coach John Beilein’s first campaign, opened this year with a pair of 20-plus-point routs of Michigan Tech (77-55) and Northeastern (76-56) on Nov. 11 and 12, cashing as a six-point home chalk against Northeastern.
UCLA followed up last Wednesday’s 82-58 rout of Florida A&M with a hard-fought 64-59 victory over Miami (Ohio) the following night, both at home. The Bruins failed to cover the spread in both contests, falling short as a 37-point and a 16½-point favorite. UCLA, which has made three straight trips to the Final Four, is 99-17 SU since the start of the 2005-06 season, including three straight wins and covers over Michigan.
Going back to 2004, the Bruins have won four straight meetings against the Wolverines (3-1 ATS), including last year’s 69-54 rout as a 12½-point road chalk. In that contest, UCLA outshot Michigan 49 percent to 31.3 percent.
UCLA has failed to cash in five of its last six lined games dating to last year’s NCAA Tournament, all against non-conference foes. The Bruins are also 2-5 ATS in their last seven neutral-site contests, but they’re on ATS rolls of 4-1-1 against the Big Ten and 8-2 on Thursdays. Meanwhile, Michigan is 1-5 ATS in its last six at neutral sites and 3-13 in its last 16 non-conference games.
The under is 7-1 in Michigan’s last eight overall and 5-1 in UCLA’s last six against the Big Ten, but the over is 9-3 in Michigan’s last 12 non-league battles and 4-1 in UCLA’s last five lined games overall. Finally, the over is 4-2 in the last six head-to-head meetings that have featured a posted total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UCLA
(19) USC (2-0, 1-1 ATS) vs. Seton Hall (2-0, 1-0 ATS)
(at Puerto Rico)
Seton Hall, which started last season 6-0, looks to remain perfect when it takes on 19th-ranked USC in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.
The Pirates dropped nine of its final 11 games last season (3-8 ATS), but has gotten off to a solid start this year with blowout home wins over Saint Francis (88-61 in a non-lined contest) and Columbia (71-50 as a 14-point chalk). Seton Hall shot a combined 57.5 percent in the two wins, but the opponents made 49 percent of their shots.
USC followed up a 78-55 season-opening home win over UC Irvine with Tuesday’s 73-60 home victory over New Mexico State. The Trojans, who shot 46 percent in the two wins and held the opposition to 34.5 percent, cashed as an 18-point favorite against Irvine, but came up short as a 15½-point chalk versus New Mexico State. Tim Floyd’s squad has alternated spread-covers in its last seven games going back to March.
The Trojans are 21-10 ATS in their last 31 non-conference games and 6-2 ATS in their last eight after a non-cover. On the flip side, Seton Hall is mired in pointspread slumps of 4-8 overall, 4-17 at neutral sites, 1-4-1 in non-conference play and 3-7 on Thursdays.
The under is 26-10 in USC’s last 36 non-conference games, 7-1 in USC’s last eight at neutral sites and 5-0 in Seton Hall’s last five lined contests overall. However, the Pirates have topped the total in seven of eight on Thursday and four of five in non-Big East action.
ATS ADVANTAGE: USC
NBA
Detroit (8-3, 6-5 ATS) at Boston (10-2, 5-7 ATS)
The defending NBA champion Celtics take on the Pistons, who will return to the TD Banknorth Garden for the first time since last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
Boston, minus Kevin Garnett who was serving a league-imposed one-game suspension, held off New York 110-101 Tuesday night to narrowly cover as an eight-point chalk, halting a four-game ATS slide. The Celtics, who are shooting 44.7 percent from the field for the season, were well above that against the Knicks, hitting a 53.2 percent clip (42 of 79).
Detroit claimed a 96-89 victory over Cleveland as a 2½-point favorite last night, moving to 4-1 SU and ATS in its last five games. The Pistons, who are shooting 44.8 percent from the field on the season, hit at a 50.7 percent clip against the Cavs, paced by 23 points from the recently acquired Allen Iverson. Detroit trailed by two after three quarters, but outscored the Cavs by nine in the final frame.
Boston dropped Detroit 88-76 earlier this month as a one-point road pup, giving the road team a 5-1 ATS mark in the last six meetings of this rivalry, dating to last season’s playoff series. The Pistons are 5-2 ATS on their last seven trips to the Garden.
The Celtics are on ATS skids of 1-4 overall, 1-4 at home and 5-12 against the Central Division, but they are on pointspread runs of 11-3 against winning teams and 7-3 after a spread-cover. The Pistons are on ATS streaks of 6-0 on the road against teams with a winning home mark and 7-2 overall on the road.
The under for Boston is on a 9-2 run against winning teams, and for Detroit, the under is also 9-2 in its last 11 against winning teams and is on a 13-4 tear playing on the second of back-to-back nights. And in this rivalry, the under is on runs of 9-2 overall and 6-2 in Boston.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
L.A. Lakers (8-1, 6-3 ATS) at Phoenix (8-4, 6-6 ATS)
The red-hot Lakers head to the desert southwest for their first meeting of the season against the rival Suns.
Los Angeles fended off Chicago 116-109 Tuesday night, failing to cash as a healthy 13-point favorite, their second straight non-cover after a four-game ATS surge. Pau Gasol carried the Lakers with a season-high 34 points. Los Angeles currently sports the league’s third-best offensive attack (104.9 ppg) and third-best defense (91.3 ppg), holding opponents to 41.5 percent shooting overall (second) and 33.2 percent from 3-point range.
Phoenix lost to Utah 109-97 Monday night catching two points on the road, dropping to 1-4 ATS in its last five contests. The Suns got killed on the boards, getting outrebounded 47-26 for the game and outscored by 21 points over the last three quarters. That said, Phoenix still leads the league in field-goal percentage, at 49.9 percent.
Los Angeles is on a 4-1 ATS run (3-2 SU) in this Pacific Division rivalry, but the two teams haven’t met since last February, when L.A. outgunned the Suns 130-124 getting 3½ points on the road. The Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven trips to Phoenix, and the road team is on a 5-1 ATS uptick in this rivalry.
The Lakers are on ATS streaks of 4-1 after a SU win, 20-7-1 against the Western Conference and 24-11-1 on the road. The Suns are on a 1-4 ATS slide, but they sport positive ATS trends of 7-2 playing on two days’ rest, 10-3 after a non-cover and 7-3 after a SU loss.
The over for Los Angeles is on runs of 5-1 overall and 5-1 against winning teams, and the over for Phoenix is on streaks of 4-1 playing on two days’ rest and 4-1 against winning teams. Finally, in this rivalry, the total has gone high in five of the last six meetings and is on a 4-0 run in Phoenix.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Marc Lawrence
Play On: UCLA
Note The Bruins battle the Wolverines in the Semifinal Round of the 2K Hoops Classic at Madison Square Garden Thursday evening with a lot of support on their side. For openers, UCLA is 21-9 ATS in game under head coach Ben Howland when they are off a win-no-cover. In addition Michigan is 1-12 ATS in games off a win of 5 or more points when facing a PAC 10 opponent and 0-7 ATS with revenge against PAC 10 foes. Look for the Bruins stifling defense to shut down the Wolves here tonight.
Jimmy The Moose
Chicago Blackhawks at Dallas Stars
Prediction: Over
Chicago has played over the total in 6 of their last 8 games. The over is a profitable 11-5 on the year for the Blackhawks. On the road the over is 4-1. The Stars have played over the total in 5 of their 6 home games so far this season. In their last 5 vs. Central Division opponents the over is 4-1. The over is 4-0 in their last 4 games played with 3 or more days of rest between action. The over is 5-1-1 in Chicago's last 7 trips to Dallas. The over is 3-1 in the last 4 meetings overall between the clubs. Play the over.
Brian Hansen
Miami FL at Georgia Tech
Prediction: Over
This game has a lot of meaning for both teams; the 23rd-ranked Hurricanes, ranked for the first time in more than two years, can move closer to securing the ACC Coastal Division title as they visit the Yellow Jackets on Thursday night. It's interesting to note that Georgia Tech has seen the total go over the posted number in both games they've played this season in a home game where the total is 42 or less, and I expect both teams to come out firing on all cylinders; play on the OVER!
Sportsbettingstats
Miami at Georgia Tech
Last week the Hurricanes beat Virginia Tech 16-14 while the Yellow Jackets had the week off. The Hurricanes are back in the top 25 for the first time in two years and they can win the ACC Coastal Division title if they win tonight and next week at North Carolina State. They can actually win the division tonight, but several scenarios need to fall into place. Tech is still in the division picture, but they also need to win tonight and next week against a tough Georgia team. The Hurricanes are led by QB Robert Marve (1041 yds 7 TD 10 INT) and his main targets are WR's Aldarius Johnson (27 rec 286 yds 3 TD) and Travis Benjamin (16 rec 276 yds 3 TD). The Hurricanes rushing attack is led by Graig Cooper (686 yds 4 TD). The Yellow Jackets are led by QB Josh Nesbitt (615 yds 2 TD 3 INT) and his main targets are Demaryius Thomas (33 rec 559 yds 3 TD) and RB Roddy Jones (7 rec 150 yds 1 TD). The Yellow Jackets rushing attack is led by Jonathan Dwyer (1056 yds 8 TD).
Staff Pick: Even though the Hurricanes are in the top 25 and the Yellow Jackets are not, Tech is favored in this game. The Yellow Jackets have lost 2 of their last 3 games, but beat a tough Florida State team 2 weeks ago. In that 3 game stretch the Yellow Jackets defense has let them down allowing 80 points. However, their D is legit and ranked 14th in the nation and as a group has recorded 28 sacks. For the Hurricanes to win this game they have to contain the rushing offense of the Yellow Jackets, which is ranked 11th in the nation. Neither team has a good passing offense and both rely heavily on the run. The Yellow Jackets have had problems holding onto the ball, as they rank 2nd to last in college football with 17 fumbles lost. Their offensive line is also weak, as Tech QB's have been sacked every 7.9 pass attempts. Miami has a good defense, ranked 10th in the nation, and they have to stop the run tonight, especially Jonathan Dwyer, who is averaging an impressive 6.6 yards per carry. This is a HUGE ACC game, as the winner can still play in the ACC title game and get a good bowl game, while the loser will be lucky to get a decent Bowl game. Look for the Hurricanes to stop the Yellow Jackets rushing attack, well at least slow it down, and pull the upset tonight in a close game.
Hurricanes 27 Yellow Jackets 24
Tom Freese
Washington Capitals at Los Angeles Kings
Prediction: Washington Capitals
Washington is 4-0 after scoring 5 or more goals in their last game and they are 6-1 their last seven games overall. The Capitals are 7-2 on Thursday and they are 12-5 vs. losing teams. Los Angeles is 18-42 after allowing two or less goals in their last game and they are 15-37 vs. a team with a win percentage of over 60%. PLAY ON WASHINGTON
Thanks as always, Blade. FWIW, IndianCowboy has 11am NCAAB play, I know this isn't where is should be posted, but if someone could post that if they see it... that would be awesome. Have a good day, and good luck.
Nostradamus
Miami +3.5
Missouri +4
Seton Hall +8
Vanderbilt -5
Michigan +11
Detroit +6.5
Lakers -4
JIM FEIST
LOS ANGELES LAKERS / PHOENIX SUNS
Take Over
Yes, Phoenix is still an uptempo team, starting 6-2 over the total this season. These teams teams are ranked No. 3 and No. 6 in the NBA in points scored, with the Lakers averaging 103.5 ppg. LA jumped all over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, 116-109, as Pau Gasol had 34 points, Kobe Bryant had 21. Their offensive explosions this season have been impressive: Just when they're ready to be counted out, they go on a 30-9 run against Dallas. Or they reel off 22 consecutive points against the Clippers. Or they outscore Houston in the fourth quarter, 39-17. "That's a sign of what this team should be about," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "I don't know if they're ready to claim that yet, but that's what makes a difference in NBA ballgames, is to find that one space where you can really bust open a game." And what's the best way to attack aging Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers' old friend? Run right at 'em! LA is on a 5-1 run over the total. This game has "uptempo" written all over it. Play the Lakers/Suns over the total.
Vegas Experts
Michigan at UCLA
This one sets up as a total mismatch on paper as Michigan is 0-10 against the spread when coming off back-to-back non-conference games. Almost as bad is their 0-6 ATS record on the road coming off BB wins. UCLA, meanwhile, is a perfect 6 for 6 vs. the number on the road when coming off a home game. They are also 12-4 ATS when coming off an ATS loss. The gap in talent between these two teams is far more than the pointspread would indicate.
Play on: UCLA
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit on Boston Celtics -7
Kevin Garnett returns to action for the Celtics tonight and that gives them the big edge in this one. Boston already has a 12-point road win over the Pistons this season and has won 3 in a row in the series. The Celtics have played extremely well when rested and also against elite competition. Boston is 21-9 ATS when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days over the last 2 seasons, winning in these spots by 12.3 ppg, and 27-10 ATS versus good teams outscoring their opponents by 3+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. When these teams played in Detroit on November 9th, the Celtics held the Pistons under 80 points. Another strong defensive effort gets Boston the win and the cover here.
John Ryan
Game: Florida Panthers at New Jersey Devils
Prediction: Florida Panthers
Reason: Ai Simulator 3* graded play on Florida Panthers (NHL) - Supporting this graded play is a strong system that has produced a record of 65-33 making 30 units since 2002. The average play has been a +126 dog, which also matches this game's line. Play on road dogs of +100 to +150 against the money line after allowing 2 goals or more in the third period last game facing an opponent after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game. Here is a second system that has gone 56-34 making 29 units since 1996. Play on road dogs of +100 to +150 against the money line after allowing 2 goals or more in the third period last game facing an opponent after a game where both teams scored 4 goals or more. Florida in a strong role for this game noting they are 14-9 against the money line (+10.7 Units) in road games against horrible power play killing teams-opp score on >19% of chances over the last 2 seasons. New jersey in a weak role for a win here as they are just 6-13 against the money line (-14.6 Units) against poor offensive teams scoring <=2.55 goals/game over the last 2 seasons. AiS also projects a 90% probability that they will allow 2 or fewer goals in this game. Note that in games Florida has allowed 2 or fewer goals they have posted a 5-1 mark making 5.7 units this season and a 58-19 mark making 48.5 units last 3 seasons and 270-78 making 256.2 units since 1996. Take Florida.
MTi Sports
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics
Prediction: Under
The Pistons are 0-7 OU (-22.1 ppg) with no rest after a win in which Richard Hamilton was NOT the Pistons' high scorer and he Celtics are 0-4 OU (-24.6 ppg) at home after winning the previous matchup in which Paul Pierce shot worse than 33% from the field. Take these two UNDER.
Sports Gambling Hotline
Cincinnati at PITTSBURGH
We are not sure if you are aware of it, but we are going to spell it out for you right here, right now!
Weeknight primetime games in the NFL have been an OVER players bonanza, as 10 of the 12 Monday night games this year have played HIGH. That includes Monday's so-callled "winter weather" game between Cleveland and Buffalo.
The first pair of Thursday night affairs have also played OVER the posted price in colder weather climes.
We have no choice but to play this primetimer OVER the posted total, as Pittsburgh does sport a protracted 44-16-1 OVER clip their last 61 games contested at Heinz Field, and the season's first meeting between the teams did find its way OVER the total.
Too many HIGH trends to be ignored.
Play on the OVER in the Steel City tonight.
3♦ OVER
Drew Gordon
Michigan +12 vs UCLA at Madison Square Garden
How can you possibly be satisfied with the Bruins "skin-of-their-teeth" win over Miami (OH) 64-59 last Thursday? A couple bounces one way or the other and we would be talking about the Redhawks in this spot! Look guys, fact of the matter is, at this point in the season the Bruins are slightly overrated, and I plan to take full advantage of that in this one.
Michigan meanwhile, can and will be much improved with another year under coach Beilein and the growth of their two stars Harris and Sims. So far in the early going they're flying under the radar somewhat, and now is precisely the time to get some value before everyone catches on. Michigan is averaging 76 ppg, 14 more points than last season, and that again that shows how well the kids are adapting to Beilein system.
From a match up standpoint, the Bruins have a ton of talent, but they're not without growing pains. You can count on Shipp and Collison, but after that the jury is still out. Same goes for the Wolverines, as you can count on Harris (who's probably the most dangerous player on the court) and Sims, who's a beast in the frontcourt. In other words, these two teams match up pretty well, and while I still see the Bruins prevailing on the strength of their defense and overall depth, this game will be a hell of a lot closer than Vegas wants you to believe.
Bottom line, don't buy into the hype, the Bruins are not that much better than the Wolverines. We saw flashes of brilliance last season from this Michigan team, and with the Bruins still getting their chemisty right (they did not look good against Miami-Ohio) they're vulnerable against a high-scoring team like Michigan.
Take Michigan plus the points over UCLA in this college hoops match up.
2♦ MICHIGAN
Detroit at BOSTON -7
It may seem real tempting to take the Pistons plus the points in this spot, but that would be a mistake, and here's why:
First, we saw the Celtics take care of business at the Palace in their last meeting, dispatching the Pistons with ease 88-76... What makes you think things will get any easier now in Boston?! Guys, I respect Detroit as much as the next guy, but the Celtics are the cream of the crop in the East, especially at home.
Second and needless to say, the Celtics are playing damn good basketball right now, winners of 8 of their last 9 games, including a dominant win against the "new-look" Knicks 2 days ago, winning and covering 110-101 (and that was without the services of Kevin Garnett, who was serving a 1 game suspension)!
True, they've burned their backers at home in the early going, but in this case, I expect the Celts to come out extremely focused, and when that happens: watch out.
Finally, from a match up standpoint, there's few players who can stick with Iverson, but Rondo is one of them. Also, with the return of the Big Ticket, the Celts interior defense will once again be excellent. And from what we saw in their last meeting, Tony Allen (23 on 11 of 16 shooting) is a major spark off the bench. Look guys, this is a different Pistons team without Mr. Big Shot, and fact of the matter is, the team chemistry and defense took a hit when Billups departed for Denver. Celts take of business at home in this one!
Take Boston over Detroit in this NBA match up.
2♦ BOSTON