Real Animal
5* G. Tech -4
AAA
2 units LSU +4
2 units Minnesota +8.5
Power Play Picks
Boston College -3
RAS
Drexel under 127
JEFFERSONSPORTS
NCAA HOOPS
S. ILL-7
DRAKE-7
NBA
OKLAHOMA CITY+2.5
Cajun-Sports NBA Executive
Denver Nuggets vs. Toronto Raptors
PLAY: 3* Toronto Raptors +1.5
Air Canada Centre will be the site of tonight’s clash between the host Toronto Raptors and the visiting Denver Nuggets. The last meeting between these two teams back in December cost the Raptors head coach his job.
The Denver Nuggets unleashed a beat-down on the Raptors in their December 3rd meeting at the Pepsi Center. The score in that contest was 132 to 93 and is now the largest margin of defeat in Toronto franchise history.
Revenge is one of the most overused reasons for playing on particular teams by sports bettors and even handicappers. Just because a team loses to an opponent that doesn’t mean they will be able to exact their revenge in the next meeting.
It’s one thing to lose to another team and want to avenge that loss but in this case the Raptors suffered the worst loss in their franchise history. This certainly could be a motivating factor and should mean we get the Raptors “A” game.
The Raptors All-Star Forward Chris Bosh will have to have a big game for them to avenge that loss with a win here tonight. It appears he has come out of a mid-December slump averaging 25.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game over his last four games.
The Nuggets acquired Chauncey Billups in November from the Pistons sending Allen Iverson to Detroit and it immediately made an impact as they moved to the top of the Northwest Division.
However, lately, they have come back down to earth, losers of five of their last eight games. Some of those losses could be attributed to the fact that All-Star Forward Carmelo Anthony has been bothered by a sore right elbow which sidelined him for several games including two last week. Anthony was able to return for the team’s last two games but was ineffective going 4 of 17 from the floor in Monday’s loss to Atlanta 109 to 91.
On the technical front we note that when Toronto goes “Over” in their last three games and are now playing at home they are 35-18 ATS if they are installed as a home underdog they are 17-6 ATS. If the Raptors lost on the road in their last game they are 193-155-7 ATS. The Raptors are 7-1-1 ATS when coming in off a SU loss in their last game and are now facing a non-conference opponent as an underdog of pk-2 points. If they lost ATS in their last game they are a perfect 5-0 ATS.
Data base research has uncovered systems that the Raptors are active in for tonight’s game. Play ON NBA teams as an underdog of pk-2 points if they are coming in off 3 consecutive road games, 97-68 ATS. Play ON NBA teams as an underdog of 1-3 points off at least five consecutive road games, 28-9 ATS. Play ON NBA teams off two SU/ATS losses in which they went “Over” the posted total and are installed as a home underdog, 70-41-4 ATS. Play ON NBA teams that have gone “Over” in their last three games and are now installed as an underdog, 110-80-5 ATS.
With revenge on their minds and technical and situational support we will back the host and take the point(s) as the Raptors avenge that blowout loss.
PROJECTED FINAL SCORE: (3*) Toronto Raptors 101 Denver Nuggets 97
PrimeStar
3*L.S.U
Dataman
20 Over Minn/KU
10 Minn+
10 G.T.-
Tom Stryker
3* LSU
3* Minn
Youngstown Connection
Georgia Tech -4
Ben Burns
PHO (-140) vs COL *Personal Favorite
DR BOB
NBA Opinion
Orlando (-5 ½) over CHICAGOOrlando ended their 10 game covering streak with a loss at Detroit on Monday night, but the Magic were in a negative situation for that game (I used Detroit as a Best Bet) and I expect them to bounce back today given their impressive 30-10 ATS record after a loss under coach Van Gundy. Chicago, meanwhile, is coming off a win over the Nets, but the Bulls are a horrendous 7-38 straight up since the beginning of last season following a victory and they are just 10-32 ATS in those games when not an underdog of 12 points or more (6-30 ATS in non-division games). Orlando also applies to a 151-69-3 ATS bounce-back situation today, but the line on this game is higher than it should be. The Bulls have played the toughest schedule in the league so far and they are actually just 0.8 points worse than average team after compensating for schedule strength. The Magic are 5.6 points better than an average team and home court advantage is 3 points when both teams had the previous night off. That would result in a fair line of Magic by 3.4 points and I’d favor Orlando by just 4 ½ points with Luol Deng out for the Bulls. I’ll still lean with Orlando, as I would get a prediction of Magic by 7 ½ points using Orlando’s games after a loss and Chicago’s games after a victory, but I’ll only play Orlando in a 2-Star Best Bet at -5 points or less.
Opinions/Possible Best Bet
UL Monroe (+12 ½) over ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCKUL Monroe started the season as one of the worse Division 1 teams in the nation, but the addition of Miami-Florida transfer Lawrence Gilbert to the lineup on December 10th has lifted the Warhawks level of play significantly. Gilbert missed the first 6 games of the season, but he has averaged a team leading 16.3 points per game in the 6 games he’s played while grabbing 5.5 rebounds per game and shooting 51% from the field and 48% from beyond the 3-point arc. ULM started the season with 6 spread losses, but they’ve covered the spread in each of their last 3 games and should give Little Rock a decent game today. Arkansas Little Rock is just 5-16-2 ATS as a favorite of 7 points or more under coach Steve Shields, including 0-6 ATS already this season. My ratings favor ALR by just 10 points and I’ll lean with UL Monroe plus the points. I’d take UL Monroe in a 2-Star Best Bet at +14 points or more.
UTAH (+5 1/2) over Gonzaga
Gonzaga has lost some of their early season swagger with 3 losses in their last 4 games, including a 7 point home loss as a 21 ½ point favorite against Portland State in their most recent game. Utah presents a challenge for the Zags, who apply to a negative 36-92-2 ATS road favorite situation that is based on their recent upset loss. Utah has been a pretty good team so far this season and they’ve been even better when pointguard Luke Drca plays. Drca missed 4 games (3 completely and one where he was injured after 2 minutes) and the Utes were 7.6 points worse in those 4 games than they’ve been in the 7 games he’s played. My ratings favor Gonazaga by 6 points, so the line is fair, and I’ll take Utah in a 2-Star Best Bet at +6 points or more.
Dr. Bob has a 3-star pick in the NBA today, anyone know what it is?
Rainman
3* Georgia Tech
1* Ga Tech Over