Jeff Benton
Got back on track in the free-play department with Monday’s easy outright 5♦ winner on the Nuggets, so I’m now 15-4 with freebies over the last 19 days. For Tuesday, we’ll go right back and play Denver plus the points at Houston.
As noted yesterday, Denver has been a totally different team since the arrival of Chauncey Billups, winning 16 of 20 games, including seven of the last eight. The Nuggets are also 7-2 on the road during this 19-game stretch, including a win at Boston and forgivable losses at Cleveland and the Lakers. One of the team’s wins during this 20-4 run came against the Rockets back on Nov. 30, a 104-94 home rout as a 3½-point favorite. Granted, Houston was without Tracy McGrady that night, but T-Mac (16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds per game) hasn’t exactly been lighting the world on fire when healthy this year anyway.
Including that win over the Rockets, the Nuggets are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games, and they were laying points in seven of those contests (the only exception was last night, when they were a two-point underdog at Dallas). Meanwhile, since losing at Denver, Houston has faced a ridiculously soft schedule that has included the Clippers twice, the Warriors twice, the Grizzlies and the Hawks, and yet they’re just 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS during this stretch, including Saturday’s ugly 95-82 loss at the Clippers.
Houston is just 3-3 ATS in its last six games as a favorite and has failed to cash in four of its las five against the Northwest Division. On the other hand, Denver is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 against the Southwest Division (which includes the Mavs, Spurs, Hornets and Rockets), and they’re 4-1 ATS this year playing on back-to-back nights. Take the points.
3♦ DENVER NUGGETS
Ron Raymond
DAL (-130) vs PHO
It will be interesting to see how the Coyotes come off that heart felt lost over the Red Wings Saturday night. Phoenix was leading 4-3 in that game against Detroit, took a stupid delay of game penalty in the last 2 minutes, which allowed Detroit to tie it up with 19 seconds left in regulation and then lost the game in the shootout. When DALLAS team played as a home team - With 2 days off - Coming off vs. Central division opponent; The Stars are 20-3-2 SU in this role.
Prediction: Dallas 3 Phoenix 0
Rob Homyak
South Florida Bulls vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
5 unit Play on Vanderbilt Commodores
Oddsmakers currently have the Commodores listed as 7-point favorites versus the Bulls, while the game's total is sitting at 126.South Florida lost to Niagara 70-55 as a 5.5-point favorite on Sunday. There was no total posted for this game.Jesus Verdejo led the Bulls with 20 points, while Mike Mercer had 12 points in the loss.South Florida is just 13-24 ATS as an underdog over the last three seasons. South Florida: 5-16 ATS off DD loss.
Vanderbilt is the pick.
Jorge Gonzalez
Nuggets +3
The Denver Nuggets (17-7) will travel to Houston to take on the Rockets (15-9). Both of these two teams made trades to make their respected teams contenders but have had very different results. The Denver Nuggets traded away Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups and are off to a great start on the season. The Nuggets are 16-4 with Billups in the lineup. His presence has really been felt on the defensive end of the court. The Nuggets held the Dallas Mavericks to a season low 34.9 % shooting from the floor in their 98-88 victory last night. There is some concern here with the Nuggets playing back-to-back nights. However, they have covered the spread on consecutive nights in five of their last six games.
The Rockets acquired Ron Artest at the beginning of the season but have not had the same success. The Rockets have not had Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and Ron Artest in the lineup at the same time since November 24th. The Rockets are coming off a disappointing 95-82 setback to the LA Clippers and may be without the services of Ron Artest who has missed three of the last four games with an injury.
On November 30th, Billups, scored a season high 28 points, led the Nuggets to a 104-94 victory over the Rockets in Denver. The Nuggets have won their last four straight games and seven of their last eight. Over their last five games, The Nuggets are winning their games by an average margin of 11 points. There is some concern here with the Nuggets playing back-to-back nights. However, they have covered the spread in the second game in five of their last six games. The Nuggets are playing solid basketball and will be the play here as an underdog.
WUNDERDOG
Game: New Orleans at Memphis
Pick: OVER 192.5
The Grizzlies have fallen hard and fast from their playoff appearance a few years ago. They have some young talented players, but not enough to be competitive as their 9-15 record indicates. This is a team that is coming around offensively. The last four games the Grizzlies have toppled the century mark, while in their previous 20 games they managed to do so just six times. The Hornets are more than willing to go up-and-down the court against the poor teams in the league. They have scored an average of 103 ppg in their last seven games against teams that are under .500. New Orleans has watched the total go 11-0 to the OVER their last 11 times on the court with a sub-.500 team. I like this one to go OVER the total.
Indiancowboy
Memphis Grizzlies +6 over New Orleans Hornets
You want to know something interesting about this game? The line opened up at -4.5 and now sits at -6 as the public is all over the jock strap of the Hornets here. But, do note that Chandler is questionable for this game which means mini Gasol might have a stronger day than expected. Combine the fact that Memphs is actually one of the hottest teams in the league which has gone unnoticed. Heck, the Grizzlies are 7-5 at home and the Hornets are 6-4 on the road. I've said consistently that this year's Hornets team is simply not as good as the previous two years - they lack the bench depth that they used to have imo. NO killed this team by 19 just about two weeks ago and you know Memphis has not forgotten about that game. I actually lean on the Grizzlies here as well as the under, but I hate taking an under when I think the dog is going to be active. Nevertheless, I hate lines like "6" because that makes for a tight cover, for example, lines like 7.5 and 8.5 are far better when taking the cushion as dog as you can absorb late free throws and still hit the cover but lines like 6 are nothing more than irritating. Nevertheless, I like the Grizzlies here with that revenge angle as they are likely to do well. It takes some balls to make this play, you need to have soem gonads for certain. But, I like the young Grizz here to hang tough at home and inside the cover if not the outright.
LT Profits
Chicago Blackhawks -115
The surprising Chicago Blackhawks are playing as well as any team in the NHL right now, and we look for them to extend their winning streak on the road vs. the Edmonton Oilers tonight.
The Hawks have won four consecutive games and five of their last six to improve to an excellent 15-6-7 for the season. They have excelled on both sides of the ice, as the offense is averaging a potent 3.50 goals per game and each of their goaltenders, Nikolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet, have an identical 2.50 GAA.
Chicago has an average goal differential of +0.93 goals per game, which is third in the league behind the Boston Bruins and the San Jose Sharks, who just happen to have the best record in their respective conferences.
Meanwhile, the Oilers are 14-12-2 overall and a disappointing 4-4-2 here at home, where their weak offense is averaging just 2.20 goals per contest. Edmonton did shut out the Vancouver Canucks 3-0 here on Saturday, but that marked just their second win in their last eight home games.
Now granted, the Oilers are 12-2-1 in the last 15 meetings in Edmonton, but Chicago was never this good during that streak either, so look for the Blackhawks to get some revenge here.
Pick: Blackhawks -115
Lenny Del Genio
Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Bobcats
Prediction: Over