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All Sports Archive
Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
01-22-20	Jets v. Blue Jackets OVER 5.5	Top	3-4	Win	100	14 h 59 m	Show
I'm surprised to see the total open this short. The Jets are giving up an average of 5.3 goals per game during their last three games. The Blue Jackets are averaging 3.2 goals in their last five games. The Jets are expected to start backup goalie Laurent Brossoit. He doesn't have a good history versus Columbus with a 3.87 GAA and .863 save percentage. Winnipeg isn't playing well. But the Jets don't lack firepower with Patrik Laine, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Note, too, that the Over has cashed seven of the last eight times these teams have met.
01-21-20	Penguins v. Flyers +121		0-3	Win	121	12 h 22 m	Show
I'm attracted to the Flyers whenever I see them as a home 'dog, which is the case here. Philadelphia is 16-4-4 at home this season. The Flyers are 7-2 during their past nine home contests and have strong incentive for an embarrassing, 7-1, road loss they suffered to the Penguins earlier this season. The Penguins are fat and happy after coming from three goals down to nip the Bruins, 4-3, at home this past Sunday.
01-21-20	Golden Knights v. Bruins -145		2-3	Win	100	12 h 55 m	Show
The Golden Knights haven't proven to be good underdogs losing 22 of the past 28 times in that role. They are in that role here traveling to Boston having lost five of their last six games. The Bruins have beaten Las Vegas in each of the last four meetings and should be highly motivated for this matchup after blowing a 3-0 road lead to the Penguins this past Sunday. The last time Boston blew a three-goal lead in a regulation game was 2011. There's a 50-50 chance the Golden Knights could be without their star goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury. He has to sit out a one-game suspension for bypassing the All-Star Game. Fleury will either sit out this game, or a game following the All-Star break. There's a huge drop from Fleury to the Golden Knights' backup goalie Malcolm Subban.
01-21-20	Illinois v. Purdue -5.5	Top	79-62	Loss	-110	14 h 2 m	Show
I want Purdue going for me here off a loss and in revenge mode. Illinois is playing well, winning four in a row. But the Illini are 2-6 ATS in their last eight road contests when meeting a foe with a winning home record. Purdue has one of the strongest home-courts in the nation. The Boilermakers are 8-1 at home this season and have won 15 consecutive Big Ten home matchups. Purdue is coming off a 57-50 road loss to Maryland this past Saturday. The Boilermakers are 9-1-2 ATS following a loss. The Boilermakers also have revenge for an embarrassing 63-37 road defeat to Illinois four games ago. Purdue shot a school-worst 25 percent from the floor in that loss. The Boilermakers have won the last eight times they've hosted the Illini.
01-20-20	Oklahoma +10 v. Baylor	Top	57-61	Win	100	13 h 23 m	Show
Baylor got past Iowa State and escaped Oklahoma State on Saturday. Things don't let up for the No. 2 ranked Bears, though, with this matchup. Oklahoma has its confidence again after beating TCU, 83-63, two days ago. Baylor had a much more difficult time with its Saturday victory against the Cowboys trailing by 12 in the second half. It was a terrible beat for those who backed Oklahoma State at plus 6. The Cowboys trailed by three with 14 seconds left, but ended up losing by seven when Baylor sank four free throws at the end. It was the only time all game that the Bears led by that many points. This has been a road team series with the visitor going 6-1-1 ATS the past eight times.
01-20-20	Pistons v. Wizards -112		100-106	Win	100	6 h 42 m	Show
This matchup sets up well for Washington. The Wizards are a very bad 5-17 on the road, but a far more respectable 8-11 at home. The Wizards have been idle since Friday when they were embarrassed by 29 points on the road by the Raptors. They seek redemption at home and aside from John Wall, who has missed the entire season, have their key players healthy again with Bradley Beal, Thomas Bryant and Davis Bertans back in the rotation. While the Wizards had the weekend to rest and game plan, the Pistons had to play Saturday night against the Hawks. The Pistons buried the Hawks, but this early Martin Luther King Day start time nearly makes this a back-to-back game. Detroit has failed to cover 10 of the last 12 times when playing on one day's rest. Detroit hasn't gotten healthy like the Wizards have. The Pistons are minus Blake Griffin, Luke Kennard and Reggie Jackson. They are relying on youngsters Sekou Doumbouya and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, who are up-and-down. Derrick Rose is having a nice comeback season, but he no longer is able to play big minutes. Note, too, that the Pistons have failed to cover in six of their last seven road games against the Wizards.
01-19-20	Pacers v. Nuggets UNDER 213		115-107	Loss	-110	10 h 45 m	Show
Indiana is one of the better defensive teams in the NBA giving up the sixth-fewest points per game and ranking seventh in defensive field goal percentage. The Pacers draw a banged-up Denver squad. The Pacers are seeking revenge for a 124-116 home loss to the Nuggets from 17 days ago. The Nuggets shot 53 percent from the floor and made 24 of 27 free throws in that game. The Nuggets are likely to be missing three of their top five scorers with Paull Millsap, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris all injured. This means more minutes for Malik Beasley, Mason Plumlee and Michael Porter Jr., who aside from Porter, aren't scorers. The Nuggets lack a deep bench so don't look for an uptempo pace. The Under is 12-4 the past 16 times the Nuggets have played on two day's rest. This trend makes sense because Denver's Michael Malone is an excellent defensive coach. The Nuggets have clamped down defensively during their last two home games holding Charlotte to 86 points - 17 below the Hornets' average - and limiting the high-scoring Clippers to 104 points - which is 12 points under their average.
01-19-20	Jets +105 v. Blackhawks		2-5	Loss	-100	7 h 25 m	Show
Spot and history set up for Winnipeg here. The Jets have beaten the Blackhawks in six of the last seven meetings. They have won during their last three visits to Chicago. Winnipeg won't lack motivation after an embarassing 7-1 home loss to the Lightning two days ago. Chicago is fat and happy returning home after sweeping all three games during its Canadian road trip, including beating the Maple Leafs, 6-2, on Saturday. The Blackhawks carry a high fatigue rating as this marks their fourth game in six days.
01-19-20	Packers v. 49ers OVER 46.5	Top	20-37	Win	100	51 h 58 m	Show
Aaron Rodgers plays best when he has a chip on his shoulder. So he should play well here. Rodgers has taken a hit from the press for not having a Rodgers-type statistical season. All the Packers have done, though, is go 14-3. Aaron Jones has emerged as an elite all-purpose back so Rodgers hasn't had to carry all of the load. Rodgers has well above average offensive tackles and a very good center to go with a top-five wide receiver, Davonte Adams. That's enough for him to produce points against any defense whehter it's home or road. Rodgers had one of the worst games of his career in the first meeting against the 49ers this season. He won't lack motivation or the brains to make sure a repeat performance doesn't occur. Jimmy Garoppolo isn't close to being in Rodgers' class. But he doesn't have to be. The pressure is off Garoppolo because the 49ers should have no trouble running successfully on Green Bay. The Packers have permitted an average of 4.6 yards per rush during their last five games. San Francisco goes three deep at running back and can take advantage of that. The Packers lack experienced cornerbacks to prevent Garoppolo from making short yardage throws in favorable down and distance plays. Title games can sometimes get out of control if the losing team is trailing late because all stops need to be pulled out. That could be the case here.
01-18-20	Stars -114 v. Wild		0-7	Loss	-114	9 h 41 m	Show
Dallas is the superior team and in a good situational spot. That's enough to overcome laying small juice with the slightly favored Stars on the road. The Stars are 7-2 in their last nine games, but are off a surprising 4-1 home loss to the Sabres on Thursday. Dallas didn't waste any time brooding about that defeat immediately hopping a plan to come to Minneapolis where a focused effort should be forth coming. The Wild are off a 3-2 upset win against the Lightning from Thursday. Prior to that, the Wild had dropped six of seven. Dallas has won five of the last six in the series.
01-18-20	76ers -3.5 v. Knicks		90-87	Loss	-109	9 h 38 m	Show
No Joel Embiid and a 7-14 road record make the 76ers just a short favorite against the Knicks. Despite those obstacles, the 76ers still are a much better team than New York rendering this point spread as being too short. Philadelphia has defeated New York 10 straight times. Even without Embiid, the 76ers still are two levels higher than the Knicks. New York has multiple injuries in the backcourt, including one to shooting guard RJ Barrett.
01-18-20	Kent State v. Western Michigan OVER 144.5		63-67	Loss	-109	7 h 28 m	Show
Only 21 teams average more points per game than Kent State as the Golden Flashes average 79.9 points a game. Western Michigan is a monster Over team when playing at home. The Broncos have gone Over 68 percent of the time during their past 99 home contests. A combination of lack of defense and a faster pace when playing at home are key factors for this huge Over statistic. I'm going to ride this Western Michigan home Over angle especially with Kent State as the road opponent.
01-18-20	Oregon -134 v. Washington		64-61	Win	100	7 h 5 m	Show
I want Oregon going for me here after the Ducks lost, 72-61, as nine-point road favorites against Washington State two days ago. The Ducks are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 road games and should be primed for a much stronger effort. Oregon also has revenge for the Pac-12 title game last season when it lost, 68-48, to the Huskies. Washington has to make a key adjustment with starting point guard Quade Green ruled academically ineligible.
01-18-20	West Virginia v. Kansas State +6	Top	68-84	Win	100	7 h 41 m	Show
West Virginia is in a vulnerable spot coming off probably its best game of the season, an 81-49 home win against TCU this past Tuesday. The Mountaineers shot a season-high 58 percent from the floor. The Mountaineers are going to have to take desperate Kansas State's best punch. The Wildcats' Big 12 season hangs in the balance as they are 0-4. Kansas State is one of the top 45 defenses in the country and they are going to be tough at home in this spot. West Virginia has failed to cover six of the last eight times it has been a road favorite.
01-17-20	Lightning v. Jets OVER 6		7-1	Win	100	9 h 48 m	Show
Tampa Bay is fourth in the NHL in scoring. Winnipeg is among the bottom-three in penalty killing. The Lightning are feeling frustrated after losing, 3-2, at Minnesota last night. They felt they could have been a lot more aggressive. The Jets have notched four goals in three of their last four games. They beat Tampa Bay, 4-3, on the road in the previous meeting this season on Nov. 16. The Over has won eight of the last 11 times the Jets have hosted the Lightning. I see that Over pattern continuing in what should be a wide open game with both team's possessing dangerous goal scorers.
01-17-20	Heat v. Thunder OVER 215.5	Top	115-108	Win	100	8 h 34 m	Show
Oklahoma City is averaging 114.3 points in its last nine games. The Thunder have a deep and talented scoring backcourt. Miami is great at home, but has a losing road record. The Heat are giving up an average of 119.6 points in their last three road matchups. Those games were against the Nets, Knicks and Pacers. The Thunder average the same number of points per game as the Nets and more than the Pacers and lowly Knicks, who produced 124 points against Miami. The Heat, though, are averaging 116.8 points in their last five games. This game is lined near pick, too, so overtime is more a possibility than normal.
01-17-20	Wisconsin v. Michigan State -9	Top	55-67	Win	100	15 h 55 m	Show
Wisconsin is not the same team on the road as it is at home. The Badgers have a losing away mark. The spot isn't good either for Wisconsin. The Badgers are off a thrilling, 56-54, home win against 17th-ranked Maryland this past Tuesday, while Michigan State has had five days to think about its worst loss in three years, a 71-42 road defeat to Purude this past Sunday. The Spartans have covered 68 percent of their last 52 home games versus below .500 road opponents. They have won 11 straight against Wisconsin in East Lansing. Michigan State's best players - Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman and Aaron Henry - are all off their worst performance. They won't lack motivation. The Badgers can't match that being away from Madison.
01-16-20	Suns -3 v. Knicks	Top	121-98	Win	100	9 h 25 m	Show
The Suns aren't as good minus point guard Ricky Rubio. The combination of missing Rubio and having the Hawks shooting 49.5 percent caused Phoenix to lose, 123-110, to Atlanta on Tuesday. Rubio is back and I like Phoenix to cover this small number off that bad loss. The Suns are one of the more improved teams in the league, while the Knicks remain one of the worst. New York also could be without its leading scorer, Marcus Morris. He's missed the past five games due to a sore neck. The Knicks could be short-handed at point guard, too, which is one of their many areas of weakness. Phoenix is 6-2 ATS the past eight times on the road meeting a foe with a losing home mark. The Suns also have covered seven of the past nine times at Madison Square Garden.
01-16-20	Canadiens +122 v. Flyers		4-1	Win	122	8 h 3 m	Show
Both teams were in action on Wednesday. The Canadiens were upset by the Blackhawks at home, while the Flyers stunned the Blues on the road winning in overtime. Philadelphia also defeated the Bruins in a shootout on Monday. So I see this as a good spot for the Canadiens. Montreal hasn't been playing well, but the Canadiens have a winning road mark. The Canadiens also have a huge goalie edge with Carey Price is expected to be in net after backup Charlie Lindgren played last night. The Flyers could be starting third-stringer Alex Lyon in goal. Starting goalie Carter Hart is out for the Flyers and backup Brian Elliott played last night. The Flyers also have two other key injuries with defenseman Shayne Gostibehere and forward Nolan Patrick both out.
01-16-20	Flames v. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5		2-1	Loss	-105	5 h 22 m	Show
The Maple Leafs have scored four or more goals in 12 of their last 14 games. Only once during their past 14 games have they failed to produce at least three goals. Toronto, though, is down defensemen Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin. The Maple Leafs have surrendered at last four goals in four consecutive games. The Flames should be in attack mode having last played on Monday when they lost 2-0 to the Canadiens.
01-16-20	Army v. Holy Cross UNDER 143		79-67	Loss	-109	3 h 23 m	Show
Unusual circumstances, an early start time and both teams playing at a slower than perceived pace make going Under the right move for this matchup. Army is averaging fewer than 68 points per game ranking 271st in the country. Army also shoots poorly from 3-point range. The Under has cashed in four of Army's last five games.
01-15-20	Stanford v. UCLA UNDER 133	Top	74-59	Push	0	9 h 51 m	Show
Stanford leads the Pac-12 in giving up the fewest points per game at 58.3, which ranks seventh nationally. The Under is 19-6-1 in Stanford's last 26 overall games. UCLA is giving up an average of 10 more points per game than the Cardinal. However, I see the Bruins clamping down on the defensive end after their coach, Mick Cronin, ripped their lack of defense. The Bruins also are in desperation mode having dropped five of their last six.
01-15-20	Spurs v. Heat OVER 220		100-106	Loss	-112	4 h 19 m	Show
The Spurs' defense is way down this season ranking 26th. But San Antonio's offense has been coming around sparked by the hot shooting of DeMar DeRozan. San Antonio has produced 118 or more points in four of its last 5 games. The Heat are averaging 122 points in their last four games. This has been an Over series, too, with the high side cashing six of the last 8 times.
01-14-20	Maryland v. Wisconsin -3	Top	54-56	Loss	-105	15 h 0 m	Show
Wisconsin has a very strong home-court and is a better team with big man Micah Potter, an Ohio State transfer, settling in. Potter, who became eligible six games ago, scored a career-high 24 points with 13 rebound as the Badgers defeated then 20th-ranked Penn State, 58-49, on the road this past Saturday. Now the Badgers are in Madison where they are extremely tough. Big Ten home teams are a mind-boggling 32-5 in conference games this season for 86 percent! Consequently, Maryland is a weak road club. The Terrapins have lost their three true road games and are 1-5 ATS in their past six away contests. Maryland just lost by 18 points at Iowa three days ago.
01-14-20	Devils v. Maple Leafs -1.5		4-7	Win	100	6 h 1 m	Show
The Devils are off two monster upsets beating the Capitals on the road and Lightning at home. This is their third game in four days and fourth in six days. Toronto in stop-the-pain mode with a three-game losing skid. Previous to that, though, they had won nine of 10. The Maple Leafs have won by multiple goals in 10 of their last 11 victories. I see this as a kill spot for the frustrated Maple Leafs.
01-13-20	Ducks v. Blues OVER 5.5		1-4	Loss	-100	6 h 41 m	Show
The Blues are averaging 4 goals in their last five games. St. Louis has reached at least three goals in nine of its past 10 games. The Ducks aren't as strong defensively on the road. The Over has cashed in eight of their last 10 games and has won in Anaheim's past five away matchups.
01-13-20	Hurricanes v. Capitals -135	Top	0-2	Win	100	10 h 36 m	Show
Carolina takes to the road to play its first road game since Dec. 27. The Hurricanes are off a 5-2 homestand, winners of their last three games. But while the Hurricanes take to the highway fat and happy, the Capitals are in circle-the-wagons mode having lost two in a row. The Capitals were embarrassed, 5-1, by the Devils at home this past Saturday. Washington hasn't dropped three straight since Oct. 10. The Capitals are 27-12 (69 percent) during their last 39 games even with their losing skid. The Hurricanes dropped their past two away contests giving up a combined 13 goals in losses to the Rangers and Maple Leafs. Carolina also has lost 11 of the last 15 times when playing the Capitals on the road. Washington is expected to start Ilya Samsonsov in goal. I'm fine with that. Samonsov has been very solid going 12-2-1 with a .921 save percentage. Starting goalie Braden Holtby has just an .832 save percentage during his last six appearances.
01-12-20	Hornets +8.5 v. Suns	Top	92-100	Win	100	7 h 27 m	Show
The Suns find themselves favored by more points than they have all season. Is it justified? Maybe by the oddsmaker's perspective, but not by mine. The Suns are 4-9 ATS the last 13 times they've been favored this season. Their record at home is 8-14. They are 4-9-1 ATS during their last 14 home contests. Charlotte can't beat or usually hang with good teams. But the Hornets have 13 victories versus sub .500 opponents. They play them tough. Charlotte is 5-2 the past seven times meeting a foe with a losing record. Terry Rozier, the Hornets' key player, is hot averaging 27.4 points on 51.1 percent shooting from the floor in his last five games. The Hornets have proven themselves on the road, too, covering eight of the last 10 times when going against opponents with a below .500 home mark. Red-hot Utah blew Charlotte out in the Hornets' last road game. However, the Hornets upset the Mavericks in their road game before that one.
01-12-20	Michigan State -3.5 v. Purdue	Top	42-71	Loss	-119	3 h 15 m	Show
I'm going to ride Michigan State. The Spartans are playing well - eight straight wins - and match up well to Purdue. The Boilermakers have a tough frontcourt with big men Matt Haarms and Trevion Williams. But the Spartans rank No. 2 in the country in rebounding margin and have the tough perimeter defense that Purdue needs to dent in order to set up its inside game. The Boilermakers, though, have been cold from the outside especially from long range missing 27 of their last 36 shots from 3-point range. Michigan State holds a backcourt edge led by point guard Cassius Winston, who is one of the best in the country. The Boilermakers are 0-5-1 ATS the last six times they've been 'dogs.
01-11-20	Titans v. Ravens OVER 46.5	Top	28-12	Loss	-107	76 h 13 m	Show
The Ravens were the top-scoring team in the NFL averaging 33.2 points. The Titans were right there with Baltimore during the second half of the season after making the move inserting Ryan Tannehill as their starting QB leading the league in yards per play during this span. Tennessee averaged 33.4 points during its last seven regular season games. Derrick Henry came on to lead the NFL in rushing establishing himself as the best running back in the league rushing for at least 149 yards in five of his last seven games. Tannehill has underrated receiving weapons in A.J. Brown, Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith. Tannehill enjoyed a career season, but did not play well in his first playoff start. Tannehill should play better now that's he experienced the postseason facing a defense not as good as New England's. Baltimore certainly is going to get its points against a Tennessee defense that ranked 21st in yards allowed and 24th in passing yards and has a banged-up secondary. Lamar Jackson had the best pass/rush ratio of any QB in NFL history. No defense has been able to figure out Jackson and his unique dual threat ability. The Ravens have scored 30 or more points in seven of Jackson's past nine starts. Jackson heads a well-balanced Ravens attack. If this isn't enough, the Ravens also have the top and most accurate kicker in football, Justin Tucker.
01-11-20	Mississippi State +8 v. LSU		59-60	Win	100	15 h 50 m	Show
LSU sits tied for the lead in the SEC at 2-0 with victories against Tennessee and Arkansas. Mississippi State is 0-2 in the SEC with losses to Auburn and Alabama by an average of 16.5 points. So things should be easy for LSU, right? Not necessarily. The Tigers are going to get the desperate Bulldogs' best effort, which should be good enough to put them safely in this point spread range. The teams met once last year and LSU won by four points in overtime. A key for the Bulldogs is guard Tyson Carter, the team's second-leading scorer. Carter is a great free throw shooter, but has missed 22 of his last 27 shots from the floor in the last two games. Carter is due to shoot much better.
01-11-20	Western Michigan v. Toledo -10.5	Top	59-67	Loss	-110	15 h 16 m	Show
Toledo is superior to Western Michigan and in the ultimate stop-the-pain mode having lost five in a row. I'm expecting the Rockets to take their frustrations out on the Broncos. They have defeated Western Michigan the past four times, including whipping the Broncos by 19 points at home last March. Toledo is a much better offensive team than Western Michigan averaging nearly 10 points more per game. The Broncos are also weak defensively ranking 279th.
01-11-20	Coastal Carolina v. Texas-Arlington UNDER 146		82-77	Loss	-115	10 h 18 m	Show
The teams met twice last season. The combined amont of points scored were 128 and 119. Now look at this total. The defensive stats for Arlington are misleading due to the schedule the Mavericks have played, which has included Gonzaga, Oregon, Houston and Nevada. Costa Carolina is turnover prone and not a great foul shooting team.
01-11-20	Canucks v. Sabres UNDER 6		6-3	Loss	-100	10 h 19 m	Show
Vancouver is a slightly below average defensive club. The Canucks, though, are not nearly as bad as they've been the past two games giving up a combined 14 goals during their Florida road trip in losses to the Lightning and Panthers. Now the Canucks are in upstate New York to face the Sabres with a strong attitude to clamp down defensively. The Sabres are below average offensively. They are averaging just two goals per game during their last nine games. The Sabres have held six of their last eight foes to three goals or fewer. Note the early start, which is an added plus for the Under.
01-10-20	Bucks v. Kings OVER 224	Top	127-106	Win	100	6 h 25 m	Show
Death, taxes and the Bucks reaching triple-digits. Those are the givens in life. The Bucks have scored 100 or more points in 63 straight games. That's the longest triple-digit streak in 24 years. The question is how many points will Milwaukee get here? The Bucks have shot just 40 percent from the floor during their last two games producing only 104 and 107 points. I don't see the Bucks shooting this poorly for a third straight game. Sacramento ranks 22nd in defensive field goal percentage. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is aware of the poor shooting and said the Bucks will be picking up the pace in this matchup, which is a strong indication for going Over. The Kings have been on a scoring spree averaging 117 points during their last four games. They play faster with De'Aaron Fox back in the lineup and being 100 percent.
01-10-20	Pennsylvania -115 v. Princeton	Top	58-63	Loss	-115	7 h 31 m	Show
I like Penn in short revenge for a 78-64 loss to Princeton six days ago. The Quakers missed 20 of 23 shots from beyond the arc in that loss. The Quakers have covered their last four road games, while Princeton is 2-5 ATS in its last seven home contests. Penn played a tough non-conference schedule knocking off Alabama and Providence. I expect the combination of the Quakers being the more battled tested team, shooting much better from 3-point territory than they did in the first meeting and being more focused will lead to a victory.
01-09-20	Stars v. Ducks +125		3-0	Loss	-100	10 h 26 m	Show
Dallas is playing well and the Ducks are not. But I'm not buying the Stars as road chalk here. Dallas is 0-6 during its last six visits to Anaheim. The Stars also are 1-6 the past seven times they have been an away favorite. The Ducks are anxious to get back on the ice after suffering a frustrating 4-3 home loss to Columbus on Tuesday. Dallas, on the other hand, enters this matchup fat and happy having nipped the Kings, 2-1, on Wednesday night. The Stars are expected to have Ben Bishop in net. Bishop is an upper tier goalie, but he also could be rusty having last been in goal eight days ago.
01-09-20	Coastal Carolina v. Texas State UNDER 141.5	Top	66-78	Loss	-110	9 h 19 m	Show
Texas State hasn't scored more than 70 points during its last five games. The Bobcats, though, rank 81st in scoring defense and 56th in defensive field goal percentage. Coastal Carolina has a high scoring average, but commits a lot of turnovers. This has been a low-scoring series. Not once since 2017 has a total exceeded 139 points and that's taking into account seven past meetings during this span. The teams combined to produce 126 points during each of their two games last season.
01-08-20	Nuggets v. Mavs -3	Top	107-106	Loss	-109	17 h 32 m	Show
Luka Doncic had a rare off-game when the Mavericks last played the Nuggets. That was back in October at Denver. Yet the Mavericks still won, 109-106. Doncic has been putting up monster numbers. The Mavericks' firepower is bolstered with Tim Hardaway Jr. back from a hamstring injury. It's a plus if Kristpas Porzingis can play after missing the past four games with a knee injury. I still like the Mavericks regardless of Porzingis' status. The Nuggets aren't nearly as good on the road where they are 2-6-2 ATS when meeting a foe with a winning home mark. It's Denver's fifth consecutive away matchup and concludes its nine-day road trip. So there is a fatigue factor against them, too. Dallas is 11-5-1 ATS the last 17 times when favored. The Mavericks also are 6-2-1 ATS the past nine times hosting the Nuggets.
01-08-20	La Salle v. Massachusetts -3		69-77	Win	100	7 h 48 m	Show
LaSalle is 10-4. UMass is 6-8. Yet the oddsmaker opened UMass a slight faovrite. Early market activity has been on the Minutemen. What does that say? It tells me UMass is the right side. The Minutemen have covered eight of their last nine home games. This isn't a fluke. UMass plays much better at home averaging 80.5 points and shooting 48 percent from the floor. This has been a home series, too, with the host covering six of the past eight in the series.
01-07-20	South Florida v. East Carolina +4	Top	59-62	Win	100	5 h 55 m	Show
South Florida is nothing special. But the Bulls are inflated road favorites here after defeating Connecticut by 15 points at home in their last game. The Bulls have not won a road game all season. East Carolina has the best player in Jayden Gardner and plays better at home. The Pirates have won their last four home games.
01-06-20	Nuggets -8.5 v. Hawks	Top	123-115	Loss	-105	10 h 54 m	Show
This spot sets up for the road favorite Nuggets. Denver is 1-2 on its current road trip, which concludes on Wednesday at Dallas. The Nuggets are coming off an embarrassing, 128-114, loss to the short-handed Wizards. Denver coach Michael Malone ripped his team following that humiliation. The Nuggets are far superior to the Hawks, who are the worst team in the NBA at 8-28. Denver shouldn't lack incentive against this bottom feeder especially since one of the Hawks' rare victories was achieved against the Nuggets in the first meeting back on Nov. 12. Atlanta is off a surprising, 116-111, home win against the Pacers this past Saturday. That was just the Hawks' second home win since Dec. 2. Atlanta is 2-11 SU, 5-8 ATS in its past 13 games. The last time the Hawks won consecutive games was the first two games of the season. The Hawks are dealing with injuries with John Collins (back), Jabari Parker (throat) and Cam Reddish (wrist) all hurt.
01-05-20	Red Wings +180 v. Blackhawks		2-4	Loss	-100	8 h 8 m	Show
The Red Wings are the worst team in the NHL with just 23 points. But the Blackhawks shouldn't be laying such a high price. So I'm going to go with the value and take a shot on Detroit. The Blackhawks have lost five of their last seven home games. They just returned from a three-game road trip that concluded late Thursday against Vancouver. Blackhawks starting goalie, Robin Lehner, was injured in that game. So backup goalie Corey Crawford is likely to be in net.
01-05-20	Blazers v. Heat -5.5		111-122	Win	100	7 h 8 m	Show
I find this line too short. Miami is at least one level higher than Portland, has a strong home-court advantage and situational elements favor the Heat, too. Miami is 16-1 at home. That's the best home mark in the NBA. Portland is 7-12 on the road and has failed to cover in five of its last six away matchups. The Trail Blazers also are 0-5 ATS the last five times taking points. The Heat should be fired-up after suffering an embarrassing 20-point loss to Orlando two days. This marks Portland's third road game in five days. The Trail Blazers took advantage of a decimated Washington squad to beat the Wizards, 122-103, this past Friday. Before that victory, the Trail Blazers had lost five straight. The Trail Blazers are thin up front with big men Zach Collins and Skal Labissiere out. This is the first meeting of the season between these teams. Miami swept Portland last season winning the two games by an average of 9.5 points. The Heat are much improved this season while Portland has severely regressed.
01-05-20	Davidson +3.5 v. Duquesne		64-71	Loss	-105	4 h 58 m	Show
The record shows 11-2. But I find Duquesne to be one of the most overrated teams in the nation. I went against the Dukes last Sunday when they were 7-point road favorites against Marshall and was easily rewarded when Marshall won, 83-61. I'm going to fade the Dukes again this Sunday because the linesmaker still is valuing them too high again. Duquesne played an extremely soft non-conference schedule. Davidson didn't. The Wildcats have covered three of their last four, including upsetting Loyola of Chicago on the road.
01-05-20	Vikings v. Saints OVER 49	Top	26-20	Loss	-115	45 h 39 m	Show
Overlooked by Lamar Jackson and being out with a hand injury, Drew Brees hasn't been given full credit for how well he's played this season. Brees has been on top of his game since returning in Week 9 completing nearly 75 percent of his throws while putting up a 25-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Brees has a full complement of weapons headed by a now fully healthy Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, who set the NFL's single season record for receptions this year. The Vikings' defense is down from past seasons due to poor play from their secondary. Thomas and tight end Jared Cook are set for big games especially with mobile linebacker Eric Kendricks dealing with a quad injury. The Vikings are going to do their part, too, in making this a shootout. Minnesota is much more dangerous with Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen back in the lineup and healthy. The Saints' defense took a hit with defensive linemen Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport out. The 49ers put up 48 points on the Saints four games ago. Cook is better than any 49ers running back and San Francisco can't come close to matching the Vikings' wide receiver tandem of Stefon Diggs and Thielen. Kirk Cousins had a very strong season despite his poor performance in Week 16 against the Packers. That game stands out because it was on Monday night. But Cousins had a career-high 107.4 passer rating with 26 TD passes despite sitting out last week. Cousins also has a better history when playing indoors with a passer rating 14 points higher.
01-04-20	Pistons v. Warriors +3		111-104	Loss	-107	9 h 12 m	Show
I expect the Warriors to give a strong effort at home after being embarrassed, 99-84, at home by the Timberwolves on Thursday. Golden State does have multiple injuries, but some of its promising young players are back healthy. Golden State has shown some resiliency, too, covering eight of the last 11 times following a loss. Still, the major basis of this handicap is a fade on the Pistons. They have multiple injuries, too, with Blake Griffin, Markieff Morris and Luke Kennard banged-up. Detroit has lost and failed to cover in eight of its last nine games. The Pistons are 5-16-1 ATS on the road. Morale is bad with Andre Drummond being openly shopped as trade bait.
01-04-20	Titans v. Patriots -4.5	Top	20-13	Loss	-110	28 h 26 m	Show
So what did the Patriots' shocking home loss to the Dolphins in Week 17 mean besides hosting a wild-card game instead of getting a bye? It means line value on New England as I consider this number too short. Look for Tom Brady to step up as the weaknesses on Tennessee's defense - vulnerable to short passes and a banged-up secondary that ranks 24th in pass defense and 27th in quarterback hit rate - suit his strengths and that of the Patriots. Brady can still pick apart defenses that are vulnerable to short passes, which the Titans are. Sony Michel is running better and Julian Edelman is healthier than he has been giving Brady his security blanket. New England has much the superior defense. The Patriots surrendered the fewest points and yards in the NFL. Their run defense has looked good, too, holding opposing running backs to 3.5 yards per carry during the last five games. Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown are Ryan Tannehill's two major weapons. The Patriots can afford to bring their safeties into the box to help on Henry because cornerback Stephon Gilmore has the talent cover Brown one-on-one. Gilmore may have been the best defensive player in the NFL this season. Tannehill is unproven in big games such as this. He has a poor record, too, versus defensive guru Bill Belichk with a 4-7 mark, 11 interceptions and a 60.1 percent completion rate. The Titans also are bucking these monster numbers: The Patriots have covered 68 percent of their last 65 home games, are 7-2 ATS in their last nine playoff games and are 48-22-1 (69 percent) following a loss.
01-04-20	Jazz -4.5 v. Magic		109-96	Win	100	8 h 52 m	Show
Utah has been sailing below the radar. The Jazz are 9-1 in their last 10 games, 7-2 ATS. The Jazz had beaten the Magic 14 of the last 18 times, including 109-102, at home three weeks ago. The timing is good for Utah to continue its dominance. The rested Jazz catch the Magic off a big 105-85 win against in-state rival Miami. The Magic accomplished this without their best defender, Jonathan Isaac. He's out with a knee injury. Aaron Gordon returned to Orlando's lineup after being out with an Achilles injury. But Gordon's minutes may be limited since this is the second of a back-to-back game. The Magic usually fail when stepping up in class. The Jazz are a level higher than Orlando.
01-04-20	Jets +122 v. Wild		2-3	Loss	-100	2 h 14 m	Show
Even though Minnesota is home, the wrong team is favored. The Wild are not a strong home club. The Jets are 12-7-1 on the road and have won nine of the last 13 times they were an away underdog. The Jets have dominated the Wild during the first two meetings this season outscoring them, 11-2. This includes a 6-0 victory two weeks ago.
01-04-20	Oklahoma State v. Texas Tech UNDER 132		50-85	Loss	-115	8 h 36 m	Show
Oklahoma State ranks 11th in defensive field goal percentage and 39th in scoring defense. Texas Tech is known for its stingy defense under coach Chris Beard, one of the best coaches in the country. But there is more than just two outstanding defenses going here that should make this go Under the total. Texas Tech has faced very few strong defensive teams.The Red Raiders have had a tough time going up against opponents who primarily play zone defense, which is the style Oklahoma State uses.
01-03-20	Pelicans +11 v. Lakers	Top	113-123	Win	100	7 h 56 m	Show
The Pelicans come in extremely well-rested having been idle the past four days. Brandon Ingram has become a star taking some of the sting of not having projected superstar rookie Zion Williamson. New Orleans is playing its best ball winning a season-best four games in a row. The Pelicans' average win margin in these games is 14.3 points and they've done it against strong competition defeating the Rockets, Pacers and Nuggets in their last three games. A major key in the Pelicans' turnaround has been defensive improvement. They've held five of their past seven opponents to 100 points or fewer. The Lakers are just 3-4 in their last seven games. They have failed to cover seven of the last nine times laying points. The Pelicans have strong incentive taking on the Lakers with Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart being former Lakers. The Pelicans played the Lakers tight in the first meeting, losing 114-110, at home on Nov. 27. New Orleans is playing much better now.
01-03-20	Ohio v. Nevada +8	Top	30-21	Loss	-110	14 h 43 m	Show
Akron and Bowling Green were the two worst teams in the Mid-American Conference this season. Ohio blew both of them out during its last two games. If you discount those two games, though, the Bobcats went 2-8 ATS, including an 0-6 ATS mark when favored. They also failed to cover in the four games they played against other bowl teams. Nevada is undervalued here, too, because while Ohio was blowing out bad opponents the Wolf Pack fell to UNLV as a 6.5-point home favorite in their final regular season game. Nevada is better as a 'dog than favorite. The Wolf Pack defeated Purdue, San Diego State and Fresno State straight-up all as a double-digit 'dog. The Wolf Pack also knows this venue in Idaho and its higher elevation and unique blue field because they play Boise State being in the Mountain West Conference.
01-02-20	Thunder v. Spurs -126		109-103	Loss	-126	17 h 1 m	Show
This has been the most disappointing season record-wise Gregg Popovich has had in his long tenure with the Spurs. Lately, though, the Spurs have show more life going 7-4. The Spurs defeated the Thunder, 121-112, at home back on Nov. 7 when they weren't playing nearly as well. The Thunder have failed to cover the last six times they've played at San Antonio. Oklahoma City is coming off a 1-point road win against the Raptors and a 5-point home win against the Mavericks. The Thunder are a season-best three games above .500. Oklahoma City isn't that good. This is the time to step in against them in this difficult road setting and in a crucial matchup for the Spurs. The Spurs are 14-18. Following this game, the Spurs play an away/home series against the Bucks and a road game versus the Celtics. They are going to be underdogs in each of those three contests. So this becomes a high priority game for the Spurs putting them in must-win mode.
01-02-20	Boston College v. Cincinnati -7	Top	6-38	Win	100	30 h 48 m	Show
Boston College was the sixth-best rushing team in the nation. Most of its rushing yards, though, were provided by AJ Dillon, one of the premier running backs in college football. Dillon is turning pro so he's sitting out this game. Dillon led the ACC in rushing with 1,685 yards. That's just one of the Eagles' many problems. BC's coach, Steve Addazio, was fired at the end of the regular season and the Eagles' offensive coordinator, Mike Bajakian, left to take a job at Northwestern. The Eagles lost their starting quarterback, Anthony Brown, to a knee injury and backup QB sophomore David Bailey has been erratic. Cincinnati is far more stable. The Bearcats have a major edge on defense and a balanced offensive attack with quarterback Desmond Ridder healthy again and solid running backs MIchael Warren III and Gerrid Oaks.
01-01-20	Blazers -3.5 v. Knicks	Top	93-117	Loss	-115	19 h 55 m	Show
The Trail Blazers are in stop-the-pain mode after losing at home to the Suns, 122-116, this past Monday for their fourth consecutive loss. Portland is having a disappointing season, but remain a far superior team to the Knicks. That was proven when the Trail Blazers destroyed the Knicks, 115-87, three weeks ago. It was Portland's sixth straight win against New York. The Knicks couldn't stop the Trail Blazers' star guard tandem of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, who combined for 58 points. New York is in big trouble again the backcourt against those two. The Knicks could be down to one healthy point guard, Elfrid Payton, as Frank Ntilikna (groin) and Dennis Smith Jr. (oblique) are both questionable. Carmelo Anthony should be stoked to go all out returning to Madison Square Garden having starred for the Knicks for seven seasons.
12-31-19	Kansas State v. Navy OVER 52.5	Top	17-20	Loss	-110	15 h 49 m	Show
Navy has scored a minimum of 31 points in eight of its last nine games. Thanks to QB Malcom Perry, the Midshipmen led the nation in rushing. I don't see Kansas State, with a below average run defense, being able to slow down Navy's option attack. It's Navy's relentless ground attack that wears down opponents not the other way around. But Kansas State has the skill position athletes and Big 12 pedigree to take advantage of Navy's defense. Wildcats QB Skyler Thompson is a dual threat accounting for 22 TD's this season while passing for more than 4,000 yards and rushing for more than 1,000 during his career. Navy has to look out for Joshua Youngblood, too. He was the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. Youngblood has brought back three kicks for TD's in the last four games.
12-31-19	76ers v. Pacers UNDER 212.5		97-115	Win	100	5 h 20 m	Show
These are two slow-paced, strong defensive clubs each trying to end two-game losing streaks. Throw in an early start time and a 6-1 history to the Under during their past seven meetings and you should have another lower-than-expected final score. Philadelphia yields the fourth-fewest points per game in the league. The 76ers also rate No. 1 in defensive rebounding. Indiana gives up the sixth-fewest points per game in the NBA and also is sixth in defensive field goal percentage. The Pacers may get starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon back from a hamstring injury. He's their leading scorer at 18.3 points, but also a strong defender. Ben Simmons is Brogdon's counterpart and he's also a very good defensive player. This should be an old-fashion, half-court, intense matchup with playoff-caliber defense.
12-30-19	Bucks -6.5 v. Bulls		123-102	Win	100	8 h 8 m	Show
This spread is much lower than what it normally is when these two teams meet. The reason being Giannis Antetokounmpo could miss a third straight game. The Bucks beat the Hawks on the road and the Magic at home by an average of 18.5 points in their last two games, minus Antetokounmpo. I like Milwaukee here and will lock in now. If Antetokounmpo happens to play that would be a huge bonus. Milwaukee is the best team in basketball. One of the Bucks' major strengths is how deep they are. They rank No. 1 in scoring and in both offensive AND defensive field goal percentage. The Bulls rank 27th in shooting percentage. Chicao is 7-10 at home while the Bucks are 13-3 on the road. Milwaukee has covered the past seven times versus opponents with a winning percentage below .400. The Bucks have defeated their long-time division rival eight straight times, including by nine points at home and by 14 points in Chicago during the first two meetings this season. The Bucks have dominated the Bulls more when playing in Chicago winning the past seven times there by an average of 15.8 points. All of the victories at United Center during this span have been by 11 or more points.
12-30-19	Green Bay +6 v. Northern Kentucky	Top	73-59	Win	100	14 h 22 m	Show
Wright State and Northern Kentucky were the preseason picks to win the Horizon League with Green Bay in the top four. Green Bay played at Wright State this past Saturday and was leading by five points with less than five minutes left before losing, 90-84, but covering as 10-point underdogs. Now the Phoenix draw Northern Kentucky on the road. The oddsmaker is taking into account not only Northern Kentucky being at home, but also beating Green Bay five consecutive times. Half of those victories, though, were by six points or less. Northern Kentucky also has a pair of key injuries. Leading scorer and rebounder for the Norse Dantez Walton is out. Jalen Tate, the Norse's top assist guy and one of the best players in the Horizon League, isn't likely to play either. So Green Bay catches a huge break to be playing the Norse now. The Phoenix play fast and have been receiving solid guard play. They are averaging more than 82 points a game, which is eight points more per game than Northern Kentucky averages.
12-29-19	49ers v. Seahawks +3.5	Top	26-21	Loss	-110	50 h 49 m	Show
Seattle is far more experienced in big prime time game such as this and owns an eight-game win streak against the 49ers. The Seahawks are banged-up defensively, but are getting some of those players back, including Jadeveon Clowney. The 49ers also have key defensive injuries namely Kwon Alexander, Dee Ford and Jaquiski Tartt. The Seahawks have won a staggering 84 percent of their prime time games under Pete Carroll, including beating the 49ers, 27-24, on the road in a Week 10 Monday night game. The Seahawks have a monster edge at quarterback in a matchup of Russell Wilson versus Jimmy Garoppolo. The Seahawks took care of their injury situation at running back by bringing back Marshawn Lynch. They also have an underrated running back in Travis Homer.
12-29-19	Raiders v. Broncos -3		15-16	Loss	-125	25 h 33 m	Show
Not that the Raiders have any realisticchance for the playoffs, which they will know for sure when the early start time games finish, but they also aren't winning this game even if their morale isn't destroyed by being eliminated. The Broncos have gotten better under first-year coach Vic Fangio and rookie QB Drew Lock, winning three of their last four. Denver has revenge for a 24-16 opening week loss to the Raiders that set a bad tone for the first half of the season. Oakland has been terrible since late November going 1-4 with losses to the Jets, Chiefs, Titans and Jaguars. They have been outscored by 80 points during this span. The weather is expected to be in the 30s, which is bad news for Derek Carr. He's 0-9 the past nine times when playing in temperatures below 50 degrees with a passer rating of 65.9 compared to 94.7 in other games. Running back Josh Jacobs, the Raiders' best skill position player, isn't expected to play either because of a shoulder injury.
12-29-19	Steelers v. Ravens +2		10-28	Win	100	25 h 32 m	Show
Baltimore is going to be resting starters, including Lamar Jackson. But the Ravens still are going to give a strong effort against their long-time hated division rival. Baltimore is riding an 11-game win streak on pace to become the first team in NFL history to average 200 yards both rushing and passing. The Steelers don't have the offense to beat this team on the road. Not with Duck Hodges behind center and missing James Conner and center Maurkice Pouncey. Ravens backup QB, Robert Griffin III, is a much better player than the extremely limited Hodges. Pittsburgh has managed just eight touchdowns on offense during its last seven games. That won't get the job done against a well-coached prideful Ravens team that would rather not enter the playoffs with a loss especially at home where they haven't lost since September.
12-29-19	Duquesne v. Marshall +7		61-83	Win	100	12 h 58 m	Show
I find Duquesne to be one of the most overrated teams in the nation. The Dukes are 10-1, but have played a very weak schedule. They were exposed by UAB, 77-68, in their last game getting upset as nine-point favorites. The oddsmaker still is overrating the Dukes here in this non-conference, neutral site matchup being played in Cleveland. Marshall has received a boost from freshman guard Andrew Taylor, who joined the team this month. The Thundering Herd have won three of their last four games, averaging 86.2 points during this span.
12-29-19	Packers v. Lions +13.5		23-20	Win	100	21 h 6 m	Show
Green Bay is traveling on a short week after a monster road win on Monday against the Vikings. The Packers simply need to win here not cover a margin. That's what happened in the first meeting when Green Bay was lucky to win at home. The Packers prevailed, 23-22, on a field goal at the gun. Green Bay was the recipient of several gift calls from the officials that aided them in that victory. The Lions will be motivated by revenge and a chance to close the season on a positive note. Having Kerryon Johnson back, their top runner, takes some of the load off David Blough. Green Bay isn't nearly as dominant as its 12-3 record may indicate ranking below average in both yards gained and yards allowed.
12-29-19	Bears v. Vikings OVER 35.5		21-19	Win	100	21 h 5 m	Show
This total is too low given the Bears want to boost up Mitch Trubisky for the off-season and the game is being played indoors on carpet. The Vikings will be playing second-stringers. That cuts both ways. The Vikings are going to be much weaker defensively without their star defensive players. Trubisky doesn't lack weapons with Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen. There is no reason for the Bears to be conservative. They should do all they can to pump up Trubisky's confidence. The Vikings catch a break with Bears run-stuffing defensive tackle Akiem Hicks ruled out.
12-28-19	Kings v. Canucks -1.5	Top	2-3	Loss	-100	19 h 28 m	Show
The Kings upset the Sharks, 3-2, in overtime at San Jose on Friday. The Kings' reward? They have to fly to Vancouver for a game today against the well rested Canucks. The Kings have lost 40 of the past 56 times following a victory. Vancouver last was in action this past Monday. The Canucks entered the holiday break hot winning three in a row with all of the victories coming at home. Vancouver scored 13 goals during those three games. The Canucks have won the last four times they've met the Kings.
12-28-19	Pistons v. Spurs -4	Top	109-136	Win	100	17 h 35 m	Show
The Spurs could be the most inconsistent team in the NBA. They have been playing better lately, though, and are in a big home revenge spot. The Pistons embarrassed the Spurs, 132-98, four weeks ago in Detroit. I like Gregg Popovich in payback mode. The situation sets up for San Antonio, too. The Pistons are thin in the bakcourt with Reggie Jackson and now Luke Kennard out. Derrick Rose and Bruce Brown are less than 100 percent. Blake Griffin is batting aliments, too. The Spurs are off a loss to the Mavericks, while the Pistons just destroyed the Wizards, 132-102, this past Thursday. The Pistons are 2-8-1 ATS following a victory. Detroit also has been miserable as a road 'dog posting a 3-11-1 ATS mark the past 15 times in that role.
12-28-19	Memphis v. Penn State UNDER 60.5	Top	39-53	Loss	-110	71 h 4 m	Show
Memphis has a high-powered offense with excellent skill position players. The Tigers, however, aren't great in pass protection and haven't faced a defense the caliber of Penn State. The Nittany Lions rank seventh in scoring defense giving up 14.1 points a game and 11th in yards per play at 4.8. Penn State played good competition, too, taking on eight bowl teams. They held those opponents to 18.6 points a game. Ohio State could manage just 28 points against Penn State. The Buckeyes are the No. 1 scoring team in the nation averaging 48.7 points. Penn State isn't as strong offensively. The Nittany Lions have flashed at times, but their offense is far from dominant. Memphis held six foes to fewer than 350 yards.
12-27-19	Washington State +3 v. Air Force	Top	21-31	Loss	-110	82 h 5 m	Show
You couldn't ask for a bigger contrast in styles with Air Force a top rushing team and Washington State a great passing team. The Cougars led the nation in passing with Anthony Gordon putting up better numbers than any QB, including Joe Burrow. Gordon has a slew of talented wideouts. Air Force is better versus the run than pass. The Falcons are used to running teams in the Mountain West Conference. Their pass defensive numbers look better than what their talent level is since they played Colgate along with heavily ground-oriented Army and Navy. Air Force doesn't have the depth in the secondary to hang with Washington State. The Falcons also lack the necessary strong pass rush. If you discount games against Colorado State and Hawaii, the Falcons only had 13 sacks. Washington State is better stopping the run than the pass. The Cougars have covered 15 of the last 22 times they've been underdogs.
12-27-19	Islanders v. Blackhawks OVER 5.5		2-5	Win	100	7 h 53 m	Show
The Islanders have scored three or more goals in six of their last seven games. They are averaging 3.4 goals a game during this span. The Blackhawks have key defensive injuries and give up the second-most shots in the league. Chicago is surrendering an average of 4.3 goals during its last eight games discounting allowing just one goal to Winnipeg during this time frame. The Blackhawks can do damage against an Islander defense that has given up a power-play goal in five consecutive games. Both teams should be energized coming off a three-day break.
12-27-19	North Carolina v. Temple +5		55-13	Loss	-110	72 h 54 m	Show
I'm far from sold on North Carolina as a favorite here. The Tar Heels struggled to get to six wins to become bowl eligible. They fattened their stats by beating Mercer, 56-7, and defeated only one bowl team - and that was unimpressive Miami. If you discount the Mercer matchup, nine of North Carolina's 11 games were decided by a touchdown or less. Temple checks a lot of boxes for being a feisty bowl 'dog. The Owls should win the battle of the trenches. They have a strong pass rush and North Carolina has a leaky offensive line that permitted more than three sacks per game. Temple went 7-1 when sacking the quarterback at least three times with the lone loss coming to Cincinnati, 15-13, on the road. Both teams have good passing attacks. But Temple has the eighth-most efficient pass defense in the country. The Owls have experience with high-powered passing attacks having played Central Florida and SMU. The Owls certainly have backdoor capabilities if needed with QB Anthony Russo and WR's Jadan Blue and Branden Mack.
12-26-19	Pittsburgh -10.5 v. Eastern Michigan	Top	34-30	Loss	-110	80 h 51 m	Show
Pittsburgh isn't fancy. The Panthers are meat and potatoes. But they should destroy Eastern Michigan being a Power Five team dropping way down in class to play a Mid-American Conference team in the Quick Lane Bowl. The bar is not set high here for the Panthers. Eastern Michigan can't stop the run and is going to have problems keeping the Pitt defense off quarterback Mike Glass III. The Panthers are 5-1 when rushing for more than 100 yards. The Eagles have yielded at least 230 yards on the ground in four of their last five games. Led by Jaylen Twyman, who has 10 1/2 sacks, the Panthers have recorded 49 sacks and 98 tackles for losses. So Pittsburgh should control the trenches. The key is motivation. Will the Panthers get up for this opponent? They certainly should. Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi is 0-3 in bowls games at Pittsburgh. The Panthers were nipped, 14-13, by Stanford in their bowl game last year. The Panthers won't have a better chance than this to get Narduzzi his first bowl win.
12-25-19	Celtics v. Raptors UNDER 213	Top	118-102	Loss	-111	12 h 1 m	Show
It's not just two excellent defensive teams squaring off that point to an Under in this matchup. Both rank among the top seven teams in defensive efficiency. This is a division rivalry. It's a very early start time - noon East Coast time. And the game is being played Christmas Day. All those factors are pluses for the Under. So is the situation for Toronto. The Raptors are minus three key injured players - Pascal Siakam, who is their leading scorer at 25.1 points, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell. The Raptors overcame a 30-point second-half deficit to stun the Mavericks this past Sunday. They then went into overtime against the Pacers on Monday. This almost is like a third game in three days with the early start instead of third game in four days. Look for the Raptors to slow things down because of their heavy fatigue factor. The Celtics have been playing at a slow pace ranking 27th in tempo during their last 10 games.
12-23-19	Spurs +1 v. Grizzlies	Top	145-115	Win	100	10 h 53 m	Show
The Spurs had started to turn around their disappointing season going 5-3 with victories against the Clippers and Rockets until losing, 134-109, at home to the Clippers. That was an embarrassing loss. I see the Spurs recovering against the Grizzlies. Memphis is 5-3 in its last eight games. Do note, though, that four of those victories have been against the Warriors, Wizards, Suns and Kings. Those are all bad teams. The Spurs have revenge motivation for a 113-109 home loss to the Grizzlies last month plus the humiliation of falling to the Clippers this past Saturday. This is priced around pick. I want Gregg Popovich going for me.
12-22-19	Nuggets v. Lakers -3.5	Top	128-104	Loss	-105	10 h 8 m	Show
The Nuggets have won five in a row and LeBron James is probably going to miss his first game of the season due to a muscle strain in his back. Because of these factors the line is greatly reduced from what it normally would be with LA at home. I will lay the short number not just because of the value factor, but because of the spot and my belief the Lakers will step up big time here to prove they can win at home without James. Let's start with the Nuggets. Their five consecutive victories have all come at home. They are a different team on the road. Denver is 1-4 SU, 1-3-1 ATS in its past five away matchups with the lone winner coming against the pathetic Knicks. On to the Lakers. They are back from a road trip that concluded Thursday with a loss to the Bucks, the best team in basketball. The Lakers also lost to the Pacers before that game, perhaps looking ahead to the marquee matchup against the Bucks. Now the Lakers are home where they have covered 13 of the last 18 times. LA hasn't lost three games in a row all season. The Lakers are going to dig in hard here. Obviously it's a monster bonus if James somehow plays. But I am not anticipating that. I am anticipating Kyle Kuzma, their third-best player, to be back in action tonight. The Lakers still have the best player on the court in Anthony Davis. Look for prideful veterans Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo to spark a strong bench effort, too, after each of them played poorly versus the Bucks.
12-22-19	Cowboys v. Eagles UNDER 46.5	Top	9-17	Win	100	66 h 2 m	Show
My first look at late season division matchups such as this one is Under the total. This one fits. Statistically, Dallas is strong on both sides of the ball. But the Cowboys are far better coached on the defensive end. This isn't a rip so much on offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as it is head coach Jason Garrett. Dak Prescott has a shoulder injury to his throwing arm. The severity of the injury has come into question. If the injury is serious enough to limit Prescott - and I do believe it will impact him - then this should be a dead nuts Under game. Even if Prescott can throw downfield, I still like the Under. Amari Cooper isn't right either. Dallas is a running team moreso now that Prescott isn't 100 percent. The Cowboys are going to ride Ezekiel Elliott in this NFC East Division showdown. Philadelphia's strength is its run defense. Only two teams allow fewer rushing yards per game than the Eagles. The Cowboys rank seventh in total defense and eighth against the pass. They give up fewer than 21 points on the season. Because of multiple wide receiver injuries and no speed at the flanks, Carson Wentz is reduced to throwing short passes to his tight ends and dump off passes to his running backs. If Wentz hasn't regressed this year he sure hasn't shown improvement. Eagles home games have averaged just 39.4 combined points. This one should fall in that range, too.
12-22-19	Cardinals +10.5 v. Seahawks		27-13	Win	100	66 h 0 m	Show
Should be a great game when the 11-3 49ers meet the 11-3 Seahawks to decide the NFC West Division. Oh wait, that's next week. Seattle can't help but be looking ahead to that crucial matchup. Problem is the Seahawks aren't good enough to cover this high of a number especially in a look-ahead spot. The Seahawks being eight games above .500 doesn't match their statistics and point differential. They have outscored their opponents by just 26 points on the season. Seattle only has 24 sacks, which ranks among the bottom-three. The Seahawks also have half a dozen injuries to key defenders, including underrated free safety Quandre Diggs. He carries a doubtful tag while Seattle's other banged-up defensive players are questionable. The Cardinals are adept offensively. They have scored 25 or more points in seven of their last 10 games. Kyler Murray is a poor man's Russell Wilson. His weapons match the Seahawks especially with Josh Gordon back on suspension and likely done in the NFL, which was a distraction for Seattle this week. The Seahawks have actually played better on the road. They have covered only twice during their last seven home games often overpriced like they are here. Arizona is 8-4-1 ATS as an underdog this season.
12-22-19	Davidson +3 v. Loyola-Chicago		59-56	Win	100	11 h 45 m	Show
Loyola is 8-4. Davidson is 5-5. But the records are misleading. Davidson has played the much tougher schedule losing to Auburn, Charlotte, Wake Forest and Marquette while also defeating Wilmington and Nevada. The Ramblers are off a satisfying home win against Vanderbilt from four days ago. Davidson last played 12 days ago. So the Wildcats should be well rested and prepared. Davidson's strength is its backcourt and limiting turnovers. Note that this is Christmas break now so Loyola's fan base is going to be down.
12-22-19	Panthers v. Colts -6.5		6-38	Win	100	63 h 34 m	Show
Injuries and close decisions that didn't go their way ruined the Colts' season. But Indy is a well-coached solid team that almost always can be counted on to provide a strong effort under Frank Reich. The Colts are committed to finishing their year strong in an effort to reach .500. Not so with the rudderless Panthers. They are set adrift with Ron Rivera gone after nine seasons and playing the worst run defense in the league allowing an average of 6.3 yards per rush during their last three games. Carolina has surrendered at least three touchdowns in 10 consecutive games. That's the longest streak in the NFL. But what clinches this fade on the Panthers is Carolina's decision to start rookie Will Grier at QB. Grier was brutal during preseason with a 2-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and taking seven sacks. He couldn't beat out Kyle Allen to back up Cam Newton and then couldn't replace Allen as Allen kept getting worse and worse. Now the Panthers are in what-the-heck mode turning to Grier for this road start. I would be highly surprised if this turned out to be a positive experience for him and Carolina.
12-21-19	Northwestern v. DePaul -5		78-83	Push	0	6 h 43 m	Show
Northwestern is average at best. The question is how good is DePaul? The Blue Demons are much improved. DePaul is 11-1, including 7-1 at home and 7-2 ATS in lined games. The Blue Demons had a strong recruiting class and the breakout has been immediate. The Blue Demons have strong motivation in this city rivalry. Northwestern came from 15 points down to defeat the Blue Demons, 75-68, last season. DePaul has dropped the past four in this series. The time is right now for that streak to end.
12-21-19	Bucks v. Knicks +13		123-102	Loss	-105	8 h 56 m	Show
The Knicks have shown a pulse under new coach Mike Miller going 3-2 SU, 4-1 ATS in their last five games. But mainly this handicap is based on fading the Bucks due to the spot. Milwaukee just beat the Lakers at home on Thursday in the marquee matchup of the season. It was a highly satisfying win for the Bucks. Following this matchup, the Bucks fly right back home to host the hot Pacers on Sunday in a much more meaningful game. So focus. concentration and overconfidence could hamper the Bucks in trying to cover this large road number.
12-21-19	Coastal Carolina v. South Alabama OVER 145		81-69	Win	100	6 h 47 m	Show
Coastal Carolina has a top 20 offense averaging 82.1 points. The Chanticleers play fast and shouldn't be hurt by South Alabama's defense. The Jaguars rank 267th defensively, do not force many turnovers and are weak on the defensive boards. Coastal Carolina has a worst defense than South Alabama. The Jaguars average nearly 77 points a game. They should match the Chanticleers in keeping this an up-tempo game. The Over is 5-1-1 in South Alabama's last seven home games, while the Over has cashed in five of Coastal Carolina's last six road contests.
12-21-19	Central Michigan v. San Diego State -3.5	Top	11-48	Win	100	64 h 48 m	Show
San Diego State's defense is going to trump Central Michigan's offense. The Aztec's finished in the top five in the nation in run defense, scoring defense and total defense. SDS held foes to 12.8 points a game. No team reached 24 points on the Aztecs, who also held all but three of their 12 opponents to 85 or fewer rushing yards. Central Michigan was stopped by Miami of Ohio, 26-21, in the MAC title game. San Diego State is a much better defensive team than Miami of Ohio. The Chippewas are 0-5 when rushing for fewer than 135 yards. Wyoming was the lone team to rush for more than 135 yards versus SDS. The Aztecs have enough offense to cover this number. The key for them is they don't turn the ball over averaging just 0.6 per game. San Diego State shouldn't lack motivation either coming off an embarrassing 27-0 loss to Ohio, another MAC team, in last year's Frisco Bowl. SDS also lost two years ago to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl so its seniors should have plenty of incentive. The venue - Albuquerque, N.M. - favors SDS, too. Not only is it closer for SDS fans to travel to but it's in high altitude and the Aztecs have experience playing there having met New Mexico two seasons ago.
12-20-19	Grizzlies -108 v. Cavs		107-114	Loss	-108	16 h 14 m	Show
I understand this is bad versus bad. Only Cleveland is worse than Memphis. The Grizzlies have been playing better and I prefer their young talent over Cleveland's. The Cavaliers did win their last game, holding off the Hornets, 100-98, this past Wednesday. But that was just the Cavaliers' third win in their last 19 games. They have failed to cover in 14 of their last 18 games and are 3-8-1 ATS during their past 12 home contests. Only once all season have the Cavaliers won two in a row. Memphis is 4-2 in its last six games and very well could be 5-1. The Grizzlies blew a 24-point second-half lead in a 126-122 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday. The Grizzlies have covered the last four times they've met a below .500 opponent. Memphis youngsters Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke and Dillon Brooks are all playing well.
12-20-19	Stars v. Panthers -118		4-7	Win	100	8 h 33 m	Show
Bad timing here for the Stars. The Panthers end their nine-game homestand after this matchup. Florida has been idle since Monday after crushing Ottawa, 6-1. The Panthers are 10-7-2 at home and draw the Stars having just upset Tampa Bay, 4-3, in overtime on the road last night. It's going to be extremely tough for the Stars to be up for this game with no rest. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has displayed his elite talent this month with a 1.69 GAA and .953 save percentage.
12-20-19	Buffalo -4.5 v. Charlotte	Top	31-9	Win	100	263 h 29 m	Show
Buffalo holds key edges in the trenches both in running the ball and stopping the run. The Bulls' Jaret Patterson is one of the best backs in the nation. He rushed for 1,626 yards and accounted for 18 TD's. Charlotte has a good RB, too, in Benny LeMay. The Bulls, though, rank fourth in the nation in stopping the run, while the 49ers are 99th in run defense. Charlotte has failed to cover five of the last seven times it has faced a winning opponent. The 49ers won seven games to qualify for their first bowl game. But six of those victories were achieved against weak team and the other win came against Marshall when the Thundering Herd were in a flat spot. The 49ers are 5-13 ATS the past 18 times playing a team outside of Conference USA. Buffalo played in a bowl game last season. So the Bulls have bowl experience. Charlotte doesn't, which is a huge negative.
12-19-19	Canadiens v. Flames -133		4-3	Loss	-133	19 h 51 m	Show
I want Calgary at home in stop-the-pain mode after two consecutive home defeats. Montreal enters this matchup off a fortunate 3-1 road win against Vancouver. The Flames were sizzling before their last two games winning seven in a row. Calgary averaged four goals a game during its win streak. But the Flames have been held to one goal in their last two games by the Hurricanes and Penguins. Has Calgary's offense shut down? No. The Flames generated 43 scoring chances during those two losses. They looked great in the first period against the Penguins on Tuesday, but then got complacent. The 4-1 loss to the Penguins is misleading because Pittsburgh scored a pair of empy net goals.
12-19-19	Nets v. Spurs -2.5	Top	105-118	Win	100	11 h 9 m	Show
At 10-16, the Spurs are off to their worst start under Gregg Popovich. Lately, though, the Spurs have shown life. They have won four of their last seven games, including defeating the Clippers and Rockets during this time frame. San Antonio should be 5-2 during this span with two victories against the Rockets. However, the Spurs blew a 25-point lead against Houston on Monday when they last played. The Spurs have had two days to deal with that loss and get psyched for this matchup. They draw Brooklyn coming off a 108-101 overtime road victory against New Orleans. The Spurs hold a frontcourt edge on the Nets with LaMarcus Aldridge and their guards have picked up their play. There also is a mental hurdle the Nets face here. San Antonio has owned the Nets at home beating them 16 times in a row! The Nets haven't won at San Antonio since 2002.
12-18-19	Celtics -120 v. Mavs	Top	109-103	Win	100	21 h 58 m	Show
Kudos to the Mavericks for ending the Bucks' 18-game win streak on Monday despite not having superstar Luka Doncic. The Mavericks achieved that distinction on the road. They are a much improved team. But they are not as good as Boston especially without Doncic, who remains out with an ankle injury. The Celtics are on a two-game losing streak with losses to the Pacers and 76ers. Boston has had five days to think about those defeats. The Celtics haven't lost three in a row all season. Expect Brad Stevens to have the rested Celtics super ready to square off against Dallas. Boston is 10-4-1 ATS the last 15 times they've been on the road facing an above .500 home team.
12-17-19	Seattle University +16.5 v. Washington		59-81	Loss	-110	20 h 29 m	Show
Seattle is 6-5 and plays in the Westen Conference. Washington is ranked 22nd in the nation and plays in the far more prestigious Pac-12 Conference. So this high point spread is understandable on the surface. But there is more than meets the eye here. Seattle is playing its best basketball winning four in a row. The Redhawks are senior-laden, better than their record, have more to prove in this crosstowon rivalry matchup and have a big time player in Terrell Brown, who leads the Western Conference in scoring at 20.9 points. The Huskies are not a huge scoring team averaging 73.2 points a game. That ranks eighth in the Pac-12. Turnovers have plagued Washington. The Huskies have lost the turnover battle in seven of their nine games. Their turnover average ranks 267th out of 350 Division I teams. Seattle has played Washington tough each of the past two seasons losing 70-62 last year and 89-84 in 2017. The Redhawks should hang in again this season.
12-17-19	Seattle University v. Washington UNDER 139		59-81	Loss	-109	20 h 28 m	Show
Washington is a Top-25 team and it's not because of its scoring. The Huskies feature a tough zone defense under Mike Hopkins. It has made them a strong Under team. The Under has cashed in 17 of Washington's last 25 games. Seattle is playing excellent defense, too, giving up an average of 60.2 points in its last four games. This is a cross-town rivalry so the intensity factor should be high. Both teams are on long layoffs, too. The Redhawks last played 10 days ago. Washington hasn't been in action for nine days. So expect a rust factor.
12-17-19	Coyotes v. Sharks OVER 5.5		3-2	Loss	-111	13 h 39 m	Show
The Coyotes needed a pickup to their scoring attack. That's just what they got with the addition of sharpshooting forward Taylor Hall, who will make his Arizona debut today. Hall becomes the Coyotes' leading scorer since he has 25 points on the season. He elevates Arizona's attack. The Coyotes should hold up their end of making this total go Over as the Sharks rank 30th defensively giving up 3.5 goals per game. San Jose also is projected to start backup goalie Aaron Dell. Goaltending has not been a strength for San Jose. The Sharks should play looser now that they have ended a six-game losing streak with a 4-2 home win against Vancouver this past Saturday. Arizona also hasn't played since Saturday so both team should have energy.
12-16-19	Spurs v. Rockets -10	Top	107-109	Loss	-109	16 h 13 m	Show
Gregg Popovich has been coaching the Spurs for 23 years. He's never had a season this bad. San Antonio is 10-15. The Spurs are even worse against the spread at 6-18-1 (25 percent), which is the worst ATS mark in the NBA. Houston is one of the best teams in the NBA. Yet when these teams last met two weeks ago in San Antonio, the Spurs won in double overtime, 135-133. The Rockets blew a 22-point lead in that game. That was also the game where the officials' mistakenly waved off James Harden's slam dunk basket. It was the most frustrating and controversial game of the season for the Rockets. Now Houston gets its chance for revenge. The Rockets not only are thirsty for payback, but they are off a surprising home loss to the Pistons this past Saturday. San Antonio is off an overtime victory against Phoenix also on Saturday. That game, though, was played in the high elevation of Mexico City. It was the fourth straight overtime game for the Spurs. So San Antonio could have a fatigue issue especially after playing Mexico City. The Spurs have failed to cover 17 of the last 21 times after a victory. The Rockets have a monster edge in the backcourt with James Harden and Russell Westbrook, while Clint Capela can hold his own in the frontcourt against the Spurs' big people.
12-15-19	Wild v. Blackhawks OVER 5.5		3-5	Win	100	15 h 49 m	Show
Given the Blackhawks' major defensive injuries, this total is short. Chicago is missing stalwart defender Calvin de Haan on top of already being without Duncan Keith. This lack of defense showed up during the third period of the Blackhawks' road game against the Blues Saturday night. St. Louis scored four goals in the final period to beat Chicago, 4-3. This was an epic meltdown by the Blackhawks. But it shouldn't be shocking. They give up the second-most shots on goal in the NHL. Their goalies can't dodge the constant peppering. The Blackhawks are surrendering an average of 4.2 goals a game during their last nine games. Minnesota happens to be averaging 4.1 goals in its last eight games. The Blackhawks now head home for the first time in more than a week knowing they can't go into a defensive shell because they can't win that way. So I'm expecting a loose, up-tempo matchup. Chicago has scored a power play goal in five of its last six games. The Wild are giving up 3.8 goals in their last five games. So this matchup does not have the markings of a defensive battle.
12-15-19	CS-Northridge +7.5 v. Pacific		73-79	Win	100	15 h 9 m	Show
A pair of lower-league Northern California teams square off Sunday. Yes, Cal State-Northridge-Pacific is way below the radar screen, especially on an NFL Sunday. But there is enough value on the underdog to get involved with the Matadors. Pacific just nipped the Matadors, 79-77, last season. This year's matchup should be another close encounter. Each team averages 69 points. Pacific is a mid-sized favorite because it is home and has gaudy defensive numbers. There are reasons to believe this line is too high, though. The Tigers haven't played in more than a week. That's too long to be idle at this juncture of the season. Look for a rust factor. Pacific also is 2-7 ATS following a victory. Northridge played four days ago. The Matadors have covered five of their last six and are 4-0 ATS during their past four road games.
12-15-19	Browns v. Cardinals OVER 48.5		24-38	Win	100	52 h 14 m	Show
The Browns are not well coached. But they do have weapons and can be trusted to put up points when playing bad defenses. You won't find too many NFL defenses as bad as Arizona's. The Cardinals give up the most yards per game and also rank last in pass defense. They have surrendered 21 or more points in every game. Baker Mayfield should do well versus this low caliber of defense. So should Nick Chubb, who leads the NFL in rushing. Arizona should contribute its share of points. The Cardinals have three good running backs. The Browns rank 26th in run defense. As a side note, there is bad blood between Mayfield and Cardinals head man Kliff Kingsbury stemming from when Mayfield played for Kingsbury at Texas Tech before he transferred to Oklahoma. So both teams will be looking to run up a score with no letdowns.
12-15-19	Patriots -9 v. Bengals	Top	34-13	Win	100	73 h 26 m	Show
Can the Patriots be beaten for a third straight game? Can the Bengals pull this off? You have to be kidding. Go back to 2002. That's the last time the Patriots lost three in a row. The Patriots have covered 71 percent of the time off a loss during the last 17 years under Bill Belichick going 41-17. The Patriots' last two losses have come to the Texans and Chiefs. The Bengals have the worst record in the NFL. New England has feasted on bottom-feeders posting seven victories by at least 14 points. Cincinnati is the second-lowest scoring team in the NFL averaging 15.2 points a game. Not once have the Bengals scored more than 23 points in a game. New England has the top defense in the NFL giving up the fewest yards, points and yards per play. Cincinnati also ranks second-to-last in total defense, last in rushing defense and gives up the most yards per play. Tom Brady is far more effective when his ground attack is working. New England isn't going to lack motivation either. Not only do the Patriots need to win to maintain a high playoff seeding, but there is bad blood after the the Bengals brought up a new "Spygate" mention to the attention of the NFL.
12-15-19	Texans v. Titans OVER 51		24-21	Loss	-109	49 h 30 m	Show
Go to the head of the line if you knew Tennessee is the hottest Over team in the NFL. The Over has cashed in each of the Titans' last seven games. Look for another high-scoring matchup with the Titans hosting the Texans. DeShaun Watson is an elite quarterback spearheading a top-10 offense. Watson will be facing a Titans secondary that is dealing with a cluster injury problem. The Titans could be minus three of their top four cornerbacks along with safety Kenny Vaccaro, who is in concussion protocol. Sparked by Ryan Tannehill, who is playing his finest ball, the Titans are averaging 31.4 points during the last eight weeks. That's the second-highest point-per-game ranking in the NFL during this span. Houston has allowed opponents to score on 52.8 percent of their possessions during its last four games, which is the highest rate in the league. Tannehill's strong play has made Derrick Henry even more of a running threat. Henry has rushed for triple-digit yards each of the last four games The Texans' pass rush and rush defense has struggled since JJ Watt was lost for the season.
12-14-19	Bruins -116 v. Panthers	Top	4-2	Win	100	15 h 17 m	Show
It's not just being in stop-the-pain mode for the Bruins, who have lost five in a row for their worst skid in four years. But also revenge motivation. The Panthers bested Boston, 5-4 in a shootout, during their earlier meeting this season on Nov. 12. The Bruins blew a 4-0 lead in that game. Note that the Bruins' last two defeats occurred by one goal each to Tampa Bay and Washington. Now Boston is stepping way down in class. The Bruins have 11 more points than the Panthers do in the standings. The price is low enough to back the superior team, which is Boston.