Rocketmansports.net - Free Picks from Expert Hanidcappers

Become a Facebook Fan!

Follow Me on Twitter!

All Sports Archive
Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
01-23-18	Celtics -4 v. Lakers	Top	107-108	Loss	-110	21 h 4 m	Show
Technically speaking the Celtics haven't won in the United States since Jan. 6. They did beat the 76ers in London. But Boston hasn't won since losing three straight games, all at home. It's the first time Boston has dropped three consecutive games all season. Now the Celtics head West to warm weather and to find their groove. I see that happening here against the Lakers. I have a lot of confidence in Brad Stevens. The Celtics meet the Clippers on Wednesday followed by games at Golden State on Saturday and Denver on Monday. Those will not be easy games. So this is the matchup the Celtics need to win to get out of their funk. The Lakers have been playing better. But this is a lottery team that has backcourt injuries. Lonzo Ball is out with a knee injury and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has missed the past two games with an Achilles injury. That's LA's starting backcourt. The Lakers are 2-8 without Ball, their point guard. Boston has covered 71 percent of its road games this season. Kyrie Irving is back so the Celtics are healthy. Boston rolled past the Lakers, 107-96, in the earlier meeting this season on Nov. 8. The Celtics achieved that 11-point victory despite not having Al Horford and losing Jayson Tatum for the second half because of an ankle injury.
01-23-18	Flyers -125 v. Red Wings		3-2	Win	100	5 h 23 m	Show
I'm going to ride the Flyers, winners of seven of their last eight games and three in a row. Philadelphia is 15-5-1 in its last 21 games. Consequently, the Red Wings have lost three in a row at home. Detroit is down injured defenseman Trevor Daley and playing for the third time in four days. The Red Wings have lost four of the last five times they've been in that spot. Philadelphia has dominated the series, too, winning nine of the last 12 times.
01-23-18	Oklahoma State v. Texas Tech UNDER 142.5		70-75	Loss	-110	11 h 8 m	Show
Texas Tech has gone Under in six of its eight home games this season. The Red Raiders rank in the top-five in defensive efficiency and should be playing intense defense after getting blown out at Iowa State this past Saturday. Oklahoma State has tightened up its defense. Both teams rank among the bottom four in the Big 12 in terms of tempo.
01-22-18	Islanders -120 v. Coyotes		2-3	Loss	-120	16 h 34 m	Show
I have to believe the Islanders have too much offense for the Coyotes. The Islanders have the scored the second-most goals in the NHL. New York has scored 23 goals in its past four road games and is a respectable 11-13-1 away from home. The Islanders are off an impressive 7-3 road victory against the Blackhawks. Arizona ranks with Buffalo as the worst team in the NHL. The Coyotes have the most losses in the league, but are coming off a shocking 5-2 road win against the Blues from two days ago. The last time the Coyotes won two in a row was Nov. 20. The Coyotes are 5-14-3 at home and have lost seven of their past nine games. The teams met back in October and the Islanders won, 5-3, at home. It's a bonus if the Islanders were to get back injured defenseman Johnny Boychuk and center Casey Cizikas. They both practiced yesterday.
01-22-18	Suns v. Bucks -4.5		105-109	Loss	-110	10 h 19 m	Show
First the bad news. Giannis Antetokonumpo isn't going to play. Now the good news, the point spread is greatly reduced because of that and the Bucks still should be able to take care of business against a bottom-feeder they have dominated. Milwaukee has defeated Phoenix five consecutive times, including 113-107 at Phoenix on Nov. 22. The Bucks didn't have Antetokounmpo for that game either. But former Sun Eric Bledsoe and Kris Middleton made up for Antetokonumpo's absence by scoring a combined 70 points. The Bucks will have Malcolm Brogdon back after he missed the Bucks' last game. The Bucks are in stop-the-pain mode going 1-4 in their last five games. Their losses during this time frame have come to teams much better than the Suns - Warriors, Heat twice and 76ers. Phoenix, by contrast, is fat and happy coming off a 108-100 upset road victory against the Nuggets. The Suns had dropped their previous three road matchups by a combined 44 points. Phoenix has failed to cover five of the last six times following a straight-up victory.
01-22-18	76ers v. Grizzlies +3.5		101-105	Win	100	10 h 18 m	Show
The 76ers are riding an impressive three-game win streak beating three of the best Eastern Conference teams - the Raptors, Celtics and Bucks. The 76ers host the Bulls on Wednesday. But first is this nonconference matchup against Memphis. The 76ers are talented. They also are young, possibly short-handed in the backcourt with JJ Redick out and Jerryd Bayless questionable due to a sore wrist and excited like the rest of Philadelphia about the Eagles reaching the Super Bowl following Sunday's upset victory against the Vikings. So the 76ers may lack the focus necessary to win a road game against a top-five defensive team. The Grizzlies are under-the-radar. They are 4-2 SU, 5-1 ATS in their last six games. They also are 5-0-1 ATS during their past six home contests and have won six of their last eight at FedEx Forum. Memphis also has dominated this series beating the 76ers nine straight times.
01-22-18	Jazz -135 v. Hawks	Top	90-104	Loss	-135	12 h 20 m	Show
One of the most difficult schedules in the league and Rudy Gobert missing 26 games has contributed to the Jazz's disappointing 19-27 record. But now Gobert is back and the schdule has lightened up for Utah. The Jazz have won two of their last three while averaging 120 points during this span, their highest three-game offensive span of the season. Utah just played one of its best offensive games of the season in beating the Clippers, 125-113, this past Saturday. I'm seeing a buy sign on Utah - at least against this opponent. The Hawks are 13-32 on the season. That's tied with Sacramento for the worst mark in the league. The Hawks are better at home, but still have lost 13 of 22 games at Philips Arena. The Jazz are 4 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. So this becomes almost a must-win spot for Utah considering the lowly caliber of opponent.
01-21-18	Golden Knights -118 v. Hurricanes		5-1	Win	100	4 h 9 m	Show
The Golden Knights continue to play well, but only have one victory in their last four games to show for it. I believe the Golden Knights are due for a victory here. Las Vegas catches Carolina in its second game back from its mandated bye. The Hurricanes defeated the Red Wings, 3-1, on Saturday with Cam Ward in net. The Golden Knights should have a strong goalie edge with Marc-Andre Fleury confirmed as a starter and Scott Darling likely to be in net for Carolina. Carolina is 2-8 in Darling's last 10 games. The Golden Knights rank third in the NHL in scoring at 3.3 goals per game. Carolina, by contrast, is 23rd in scoring averaging 2.7 goals a game.
01-21-18	Nets v. Pistons UNDER 209		101-100	Win	100	10 h 9 m	Show
There are a lot of ingredients here that point to this game going Under the total. Let's start with the situation. It's a day game. That's often a plus for the Under. It's a stop-the-pain game for Detroit, losers of four in a row. It's the Nets' revenge game of the year. They suffered their worst home loss of the season 11 days ago losing to the Pistons, 114-80. Brooklyn was in a vulnerable spot for that game having just taken the Raptors to overtime before losing by one point the night before. Their energy was lacking. It won't be here. Now let's talk current form. The Nets have slowed things down ranking in the middle of the pack in tempo during the last two weeks. Brooklyn ranks last in offensive efficiency during this span, too. However, the Nets have played stronger defense in January than they did earlier in the season. If you discount that bad performance against the Pistons, the Nets have held five of their last nine opponents to fewer than 101 points. Only two opponents in the last 10 games have scored more than 107 points on the Nets during regulation. The Nets just held the Heat to six points under their season average in a 101-95 home win this past Friday. The Pistons rank 25th in scoring. They are a bottom-10 team, too, in field goal percentage and free throw shooting. Now let's discuss matchup. There are key players back from injury who are pluses for the Under. The Nets have back DeMarre Carroll and D'Angelo Rusell. Both are underrated defensive players. Russell played 14 minutes against the Heat after missing the previous 32 games following knee surgery. He was rusty shooting-wise, as expected, but provided a defensive spark. Detroit has reserve sparkplug Stanley Johnson back from a hip injury. Johnson is a stiff on offense, but a good defender.
01-21-18	Jaguars v. Patriots -8.5	Top	20-24	Loss	-103	100 h 4 m	Show
Three big reasons why I like the Patriots: Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and New England's defense. The first two reasons are obvious. The combination of home-field and Brady versus Blake Bortles are worthy of the point spread right there. Jacksonville's defense was outstanding during much of the regular season. But Brady is at his finest against the type of zone cover style the Jaguars use. The Jaguars' defense also has been wearing down after carrying their offense for so many games. Jacksonville has given up an average of 32 points during its last four road games. It's the Patriots defense that has allowed the fewest points since Week 5. By far, the Patriots have the more playoff experience, big-game experience and discipline. All of that is going to matter here. The Patriots can win by talent, or by scheme and coaching. The Jaguars can't outscheme the Patriots. Brady has a balanced attack. He'll be able to slice up the Jaguars' defense with quick slants and utilizing versatile Dion Lewis. The Patriots also are expected to get back wide receiver Chris Hogan and running back James White, one of the best pass-catching runners out of the backfield in the NFL. Hogan is a big upgrade on Phillip Dorsett and gives Brady another strong receiving target to go with Rob Gronkowski, Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola. The Jaguars' offense looked great against the Steelers last week. But Jacksonville has yet to achieve trusted consistency on offense relying heavily on rookie Leonard Fournette. Before putting up 45 points on the Steelers last week, the Jaguars had scored only 10 points during each of their last two games. The Patriots aren't going to let Fournette beat them. I don't see Bortles, one of the most inaccurate throwers in the league, and his inexperienced wide receiving corps keeping up with Brady.
01-20-18	Mavs v. Blazers OVER 208	Top	108-117	Win	100	16 h 18 m	Show
Since the end of Christmas both Dallas and Portland have become strong offensive, rather than defensive, teams. But the oddsmaker hasn't fully caught up to this. Dallas has reached triple digits in eight of its last nine games. The Mavericks have scored 114 points or more in six of those nine games. Portland is on a streak of 10 straight triple digit scoring games. The Trail Blazers have scored 110 or more points in eight of those 10 games. During this time span, both teams are ranking in the top-five in offensive efficiency and in the bottom-10 in defensive efficiency. Increased tempo and strong guard play has contributed to this. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. has started to live up to his hype, while the Trail Blazers are finding extra minutes for Shabazz Napier joining sharpshooters Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in the backcourt giving Portland an effective small-ball lineup.
01-20-18	Raptors v. Wolves -3		109-115	Win	100	9 h 30 m	Show
The Timberwolves are in stop-the-pain mode and catch the Raptors off a huge, physical 86-83 home win against the Spurs last night. That was a hugely satisfying victory for the Raptors. It's hard to imagine they are going to be as hungry for this non-conference matchup as the Timberwolves, losers of two in a row. Minnesota hasn't lost three consecutive games all season. But the Timberwolves are off back-to-back road losses to the Magic and Rockets. They looked past the Magic and paid the price. There's no shame in losing to the Rockets at Houston especially with James Harden back in the Rockets' lineup like he was for that game. The Timberwolves are 18-6 at Target Center this season. Their last six home games have all been double-digit victories, including wins against the Cavaliers. Thunder and Trail Blazers.
01-20-18	Montana v. Montana State +7		67-52	Loss	-105	9 h 27 m	Show
Granted Montana is playing well. However, I want the home underdog going for me in this state rivalry matchup. Montana State is 6-1 at home this season. The Bobcats have won and covered in their last three home games. The Bobcats defeated Montana, 78-69, when they hosted the Grizzlies last season.
01-20-18	Thunder +3.5 v. Cavs		148-124	Win	100	11 h 46 m	Show
Lot of superstars with a lot of egos. They're all going to be together here in this nationally televised day game. This is just the fifth time the Thunder will be underdogs this season. They are 3-1 ATS as 'dogs. Oklahoma City has gone 21-13 since opening 4-7. The Thunder have won three in a row. Cleveland is 1-4 in its last five games and has been terrible as a favorite failing to cover 12 of the last 13 times in that role. Oklahoma City has the far superior defense and just got back defensive ace Andre Roberson. The Thunder have been idle since Wednesday so their energy and pride levels should be off the charts.
01-20-18	Rangers v. Avalanche -115		1-3	Win	100	7 h 27 m	Show
Colorado is red-hot winning eight in a row. The Avalanche have won six of these games by more than one goal. I'm going to ride the Avalanche here catching the Rangers traveling West into high altitude for an early start time game following a closer-than-expected home win against the Sabres two days ago. The Rangers will be without defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. He's out with a knee injury.
01-19-18	Pacers -125 v. Lakers		86-99	Loss	-125	12 h 39 m	Show
Thanks to Victor Oladipo's All-Star-caliber season, the Pacers have reached mid-level respectability. The Lakers are back to being a bottom level type team losting 12 of their last 17 games. The Pacers played flat in a 100-86 road loss to Portland last night. But they were 5-1 SU and ATS in their previous six games. It's not too much to ask the Pacers to beat the Lakers especially considering all of LA's key injuries. The Lakers will be missing their starting backcourt of Lonzo Ball (knee) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Achilles). Ball leads the Lakers in assists and rebounds. In addition, the Lakers also could be missing their two top scorers, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram. Both are banged up. The Lakers' depth isn't nearly strong enough to compensate for so many missing starters.
01-19-18	Spurs +6.5 v. Raptors		83-86	Win	100	7 h 13 m	Show
No Kawhi Leonard here. Rudy Gay reamins out, too. Still, this is too many points for the Raptors to lay to an elite team. Gregg Popovich is an "A" coach and he has a strong bench. Even without Leonard, the Spurs have gone 25-12 in the games he's missed. Toronto hasn't been playing that well losing two of its past three games and going 2-4 ATS in its last six. Only once in their last six games have the Raptors won by more than five points.
01-19-18	Indiana +15.5 v. Michigan State	Top	57-85	Loss	-108	17 h 31 m	Show
There are a lot of peaks and valleys during the long college basketball season. Right now Indiana is playing well and Michigan State isn't. The Hoosiers have won five of their last six, including their last three. Indiana is playing tremendous defense, getting strong play from Juwan Morgan and rebounding production from its guards. Michigan State would be 0-3 in its last three games if not for a home overtime victory against Rutgers. The Spartans are 1-6 ATS the past seven times playing an above .500 opponent. They are going to look to run more being at home. Indiana, though, ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in steals and turnover margin at plus 3.7. Michigan State, by contrast, ranks near the bottom in turnover margin at minus 3.2. The Hooisers have covered the past five times they've met opponents with a winning percentage above .600. They have stepped up their play enough where they can be trusted to hang in on the road against the Spartans especially taking this big of a number.
01-18-18	Pacers v. Blazers OVER 213		86-100	Loss	-110	15 h 16 m	Show
The perception is Portland is a strong defensive team and a below average offensive club. The season statistics bear that out where the Trail Blazers rank eighth defensively and 20th in scoring. But since the start of January those perceptions have turned wrong. The Trail Blazers have become a top-five offense in terms of points per possession and their defense ranks 26th since the calendar turned to 2018. Star point guard Damian Lillard is close to 100 percent. He's averaged 26 points in his last four games while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor. The Trail Blazers have started to play more small ball going with three guards - Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Shabazz Napier, who shined in Lillard's absence. This means increased tempo. The Pacers remain without their rim protector Myles Turner, who ranks second in the NBA in blocked shots. The Pacers have been playing well despite the absence of Turner. Indiana is averaging 111 points per game game during its last six games. Victor Oladipo has emerged as a star ranking 12th in scoring at 24.3 points per game.
01-18-18	Sabres v. Rangers -1.5	Top	3-4	Loss	-100	14 h 51 m	Show
The Buffalo Bills ended their long playoff drought this season. The Buffalo Sabres won't. The Sabres, who last made the postseason in 2011, are the second-worst team in the NHL behind only Arizona. No team has fewer goals than the Sabres with 99. They are on pace to score the third-fewest goals in franchise history. This is part of why I like the Rangers to win by more than one goal in tonight's game. There is much more, though. New York is coming off an impressive 5-1 home victory against Philadelphia two days ago. That was the Rangers' 14th victory in their last 19 home games. Buffalo is off a rare victory, too. The Sabres defeated Columbus, 3-1, a week ago. Buffalo has not played since in accordance with the league-mandated break for each team. So the Sabres figure to be extremely rusty. They are 1-4 the past five times they played following being idle for three or more days. You have to go back to Oct. 23-24 to find the last time the Sabres won consecutive games. The Rangers just don't want to give back that victory they earned against the Flyers by losing this game. This is a kill spot for them - and I see them routing the rusty and punchless Sabres. Taking a nice plus price on the puck line is a good reward.
01-18-18	Illinois-Chicago v. Youngstown State +3		92-78	Loss	-105	6 h 45 m	Show
The oddsmaker has the wrong favorite here. Illinois-Chicago should not be a conference road favorite. The Flames have won only once in eight away contests this season. Youngstown State's record is somewhat misleading when you consider it played the 66th most-difficult non-league schedule. The Penguins' non-conference schedule was muich more difficult than the Flames. That should pay off here. The Penguins also have covered in their last six Horizon League games.
01-17-18	Fresno State v. San Diego State -7	Top	77-73	Loss	-105	21 h 35 m	Show
San Diego State is the top defensive team in the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs are 7-1 at home and have revenge for a home loss to Fresno State last season. Fresno State could be missing guards Jaron Hopkins and Jahmel Taylor. They are the third and fourth leading scorers on the Bulldogs. Taylor ranks fifth in the Mountain West in 3-point shooting percentage. Neither player traveled with the team on Tuesday because they are not technically enrolled in school. There's the possibility this problem may not get straighten out before tip-off. San Diego State is at its best against smaller, perimeter-shooting based teams such as Fresno State. So the loss of two key guards really would hurt the Bulldogs. Fresno State has failed to cover in six of its last seven Mountain West Conference matchups.
01-17-18	Fresno State v. San Diego State UNDER 148		77-73	Loss	-115	20 h 18 m	Show
Two strong defenses square off here in what should be an intense conference matchup. San Diego State is No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference in fewest points allowed and defensive field goal percentage. The Aztecs could catch the Bulldogs minus two of their three best guards, including their point guard and most accurate 3-point shooter. Both have eligibility problems that need to be fixed.
01-17-18	Penguins +110 v. Ducks		3-5	Loss	-100	14 h 29 m	Show
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins are getting hot winning four in a row. I'm going to ride them here against the Ducks, who have lost three of their last four. The Penguins are averaging four goals per game during their last six games. They have been getting excellent goaltending from backup Tristan Jarry, too. Jarry has a .928 save percentage in his last four starts. He could get the start here if starter Matt Murray, who made the trip to California, can't go. Pittsburgh has revenge for a 4-0 home loss suffered to Anaheim a litte more than three weeks ago. That was just the second time in the last nine meetings the Ducks have defeated the Penguins. Pittsburgh is 9-3 the past 12 times when playing on two days rest. The Ducks are a cripple shooting type of team going 4-13 the past 17 times when facing an opponent with a winning record. Anaheim goalie John Gibson hasn't been that sharp at home either.
01-17-18	Knicks v. Grizzlies OVER 202		99-105	Win	100	5 h 42 m	Show
The Knicks haven't been playing much defense surrendering triple digits in nine of their last 10 games. Sparked by the return of Tim Hardaway Jr., though, the Knicks have been producing offensively. New York has scored 103 or more points in its last seven games. The Grizzlies just scored 123 points in their last game and are playing more up-tempo. There's a chance Marc Gasol doesn't play due to illness, but I still like this total to go Over based on how poorly the Knicks are playing defense and how well Memphis looked offensively in its last game with crisp passing and unselfish play. The Over has cashed 12 of the last 16 times the Knicks have visited the Grizzlies.
01-17-18	Southern Illinois v. Loyola-Chicago UNDER 136		65-79	Loss	-115	15 h 40 m	Show
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers are coming off a rare higher scoring game, but this is a team that has been consistently under this number. In fact, their first five MVC games were all 129 points or lower. Last game, they shot the ball extremely well and they won 81-65. I think that game was the exception rather than the rule. That last game though is giving us value on the number here. Southern Illinois and Loyola Chicago both like to slow the game down. There is no reason this tempo should be quick at all. Neither of these team get many second chance points, and that is a clear help here.
01-17-18	Duquesne +6 v. St. Louis		63-76	Loss	-103	8 h 35 m	Show
The marketplace has been slow to see the full improvement with Duquesne this season. The Dukes rank among the top three teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference in defense and I believe they can hang with St. Louis. They have won and covered four of their last five games. Both teams operate at a slow tempo, which is another plus for the 'dog in this mid-size range.
01-16-18	Sharks v. Coyotes +125		3-2	Loss	-100	13 h 7 m	Show
It's difficult to back the Coyotes, the worst team in the NHL. But this is a good spot for Arizona. The Coyotes' poor record is a bit deceiving considering they've either been leading or tied late in the third period during recent action. Discounting an empty-net goal, the Coyotes have been involved in one-goal outcomes during their last four games. Arizona has short revenge from this past Saturday night. The Sharks scored a game-tying goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. San Jose then won in overtime, 6-5. The Coyotes did a lot of things right in that game, including scoring three goals on their first six shots. The Sharks pulled starting goalie Martin Jones after that. San Jose isn't likely to be nearly as motivated as the Coyotes after beating despised rival the Kings, 4-1, on the road Monday. That was the game the Sharks really wanted. Arizona is going to go with goalie Antti Raanta, who didn't play in the 6-5 loss to the Sharks on Saturday night. Raanta has a .922 save percentage in his last five games. He also has a winning record and 1.46 GAA lifetime versus the Sharks.
01-16-18	Drake +6.5 v. Northern Iowa		54-68	Loss	-105	8 h 40 m	Show
I like backing underdogs in the defensive-minded Missouri Valley Conference especially here with much-improved Drake. The Bulldogs have won and covered five of their last six games. I see them hanging in against Northern Iowa. Drake has a good offense, averaging more than 77 points, and its defense played well in an 81-65 home win against Evansville in its last game. Northern Iowa often is overpriced going 1-9-1 ATS in its last 11 conference games. That's the case again here.
01-16-18	Devils v. Islanders OVER 6		4-1	Loss	-110	11 h 3 m	Show
It's hard not to go Over this total. New Jersey has gone Over in 11 of its last 15 games. The Islanders are 16-5-1 to the Over during their last 22 home games. The Islanders are the No. 2 scoring team in the league, while the Devils rank eighth in goals scored. The Islanders have to win with offense because their defense is so weak. They just allowed the Canadiens, who rank 29th in scoring, to get off 56 shots and score four goals on Monday. The Islanders still were able to prevail, 5-4 in overtime. The Islanders, though, lost defenseman Scott Mayfield, who was hit in the face with the puck. Devils goalie Cory Schneider was playing well earlier in the season, but has been cold lately.
01-16-18	Blues +130 v. Maple Leafs		2-1	Win	130	11 h 3 m	Show
I'm attracted to taking a 'dog price with the Blues. Both teams are coming off an extended break so I like taking a price when there is an increased randomness factor. The Blues are one of the better road clubs with an 11-8-3 away mark. The Blues will be primed to stop a three-game losing streak having had six days off to stew about that. The Maple Leafs entered their break not playing well either losing five of their past seven. St. Louis has a strong record when playing at Air Canada Centre going 10-1-2 the past 13 times there against the Maple Leafs.
01-16-18	Blues v. Maple Leafs UNDER 5.5		2-1	Win	100	11 h 1 m	Show
Both teams are coming off an extended break. St. Louis has been idle for six days, Toronto for five days. So I'm not expecting a lot of crisp passing and offensive fireworks. Toronto hasn't scored more than three goals a game during its last seven games. The Blues rank sixth defensively permitting an average of 2.7 goals a game. The Blues, though, were not sharp defensively heading into break losing three high-scoring games. I expect the Blues to be more committed to defense in this their first game following the break. This is what St. Louis General Manager Doug Armstrong was quoted as saying, "... We have to be comfortable again playing in low-scoring games. And I think we've lost our comfort level in that and we have to regain that. We have to play time-and-score to a higher efficiency. Every play doesn't have to be a home run. We have to just methodically go through and push games along and play to win."
01-16-18	Wolves v. Magic +8		102-108	Win	100	8 h 14 m	Show
Fresh off their first 5-0 homestand since 2001, the Timberwolves get ready to face a big road test against the Rockets on Thursday. But first Minnesota must play at Orlando today. It's going to be difficult for the talented - and youthful - Timberwolves to take the Magic serious. Orlando has lost seven in a row. I smell a dangerous situation for the Timberwolves here. I suspect Minnesota is going to be too overconfident for this game. Orlando is more competitive now that its two leading scorers, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier, are healthy. The Magic have lost by seven points or fewer in five of their last seven defeats. The Magic have had three full days to get ready for this matchup having last played on Friday. Minnesota is a sparkling 23-6 versus Western Conference foes. However, the Timberwolves are a perplexing 6-10 against Eastern Conference teams. They have a bad history, too, at Orlando losing eight of the past nine times there. The Magic have covered eight of the last 10 games against the Timberwolves. Minnesota won by just six when they hosted the Magic earlier this season.
01-15-18	Maryland +7 v. Michigan		67-68	Win	100	9 h 58 m	Show
Maryland has had Michigan's number winning five of the last six times the teams have met, including a victory in Ann Arbor last season. The Terrapins catch the Wolverines off a huge 82-72 win against rival Michigan State this past Saturday. I doubt the Wolverines can regain their full intensity for this matchup following that huge win. Maryland is out for redemption having suffered a 91-69 loss to Ohio State on Thursday.
01-15-18	Lakers v. Grizzlies -138	Top	114-123	Win	100	8 h 49 m	Show
The Lakers are fat and happy after opening their road trip with an overtime victory against the Mavericks this past Saturday. The Grizzlies have been playing better. They are are 3-2 in their five home games, but off an 87-78 road loss to Denver. That game was on Friday and ended the Grizzlies' string of six straight games of scoring triple-digits. The Grizzlies were idle during the weekend and should be ready for this early-start MLK Day matchup. Memphis is the stronger defensive club. The Grizzlies have defeated the Lakers the past six times at home. The Lakers are playing for the fourth time in seven days. They won't be helped by an earlier start time than normal for them. LA also is banged-up as both Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are questionable.
01-15-18	Knicks v. Nets UNDER 213		119-104	Loss	-110	3 h 53 m	Show
Both teams carry a high fatigue rating that isn't going to be helped playing at this early start time. That means tired jump shooters. The Knicks are playing for the third time in four days, including going into overtime on Sunday. Kristaps Porzingis logged nearly 44 minutes yesterday. The Nets also are playing for the third time in four days. The Nets have gone Under in seven of their last eight games. This is a rivalry game, too, so the defensive intensity should be up.
01-15-18	Hornets v. Pistons -150		118-107	Loss	-150	4 h 27 m	Show
Charlotte isn't a good road team. The Hornets have lost 13 of their 18 away contests. Charlotte is 2-11 versus .500 or better clubs when playing on the road. The Pistons are 13-5 at home. Detroit is in a strong scheduling advantage here since this is an early start because of Martin Luther King Day. The Hornets ran out of gas on Saturday night after also playing on Friday. Now they're playing a very early Monday game making this their third game in four days.
01-15-18	Hornets v. Pistons UNDER 205		118-107	Loss	-105	4 h 26 m	Show
Charlotte is averaging just 95 points in its last two games. The Hornets face a severe fatigue factor here playing for the third time in four days, which is made worse by this being a very early daytime start because of Martin Luther King Day. So the Hornets are not going to have interest in running and their perimeter game could be off because of tired legs. This likely means a lot of standing around on offense watching Dwight Howard hog the ball inside and miss free throws. He's shooting less than 53 percent from the foul line. The Pistons rank fifth defensively. Detroit has held its past four opponents at home to an average of 91 points per game. The teams met early in the season and the Pistons beat the Hornets, 102-90, at home.
01-14-18	Pacers v. Suns +4		120-97	Loss	-105	13 h 30 m	Show
Granted, asking the Suns to cover a short number carries a certain risk. Phoenix has some young talent, but is in clear rebuild mode. Still, the spot, situation and history set up well for the Suns to stay close - if not pull the outright upset. The Pacers won't have center Myles Turner, their best big man and second-best player next to Victor Oladipo. He'll miss a third straight game due to an elbow injury. Indiana takes to the road for the first time in 11 days fat and happy after overcoming a 22-point deficit to defeat the Cavaliers, 97-95, on Friday night. The Pacers have lost their last three away matchups falling by a combined 57 points to the Bucks, Bulls and Pistons. This marks only the Pacers' third game versus a Western Conference opponent since Dec. 14. Indiana lost to Dallas by four points at home and were blown out by Minnesota at home by 17 points the past two times it faced a Western Conference foe. The last time Indiana played a road game against a Western Conference team was way back on November 29. The Suns aren't as good as the Timberwolves and Mavericks. But they are home where they have covered five of the last six times against the Pacers. All together, the Suns have covered 11 of the last 13 times versus the Pacers. Phoenix also should be motivated after a 112-95 home loss to Houston this past Friday. The Suns were short-handed in the backcourt, but expect to have back point guard Isaiah Canaan and swingman Josh Jackson. The return of Canaan frees up rising superstar Devin Booker to play other positions besides point guard setting up favorable matchups. The Suns have responded well following a blowout home loss covering 72 percent of the time in their next game during the past 27 instances. They also are 6-1-2 ATS the past nine times after not covering the spread in their previous game.
01-14-18	St. Joe's v. Massachusetts OVER 146		69-72	Loss	-110	5 h 3 m	Show
St. Joe's is averaging 83.6 points during its last three games while stepping up the pace. The Over has cashed the last six times St. Joe's has played. The over has cashed in four of UMass's last five games. UMass has allowed at least 79 points in three of its last four games. I'm looking for an uptempo, offensive-minded game here.
01-14-18	Saints v. Vikings -3.5	Top	24-29	Win	100	155 h 49 m	Show
The oddsmaker isn't giving the Vikings enough credit here. Minnesota's home field advantage is worth the spread alone - and the Vikings are much superior to the Saints. Minnesota is 10-1 in its last 11 games. The Vikings are 7-1 at home, including defeating the Saints, 29-19, opening week. New Orleans has lost and failed to cover in its past three road games. The Saints are 4-3 SU in their last seven games and 2-6 ATS during their past eight games. Drew Brees is the best quarterback on the field. But he doesn't have the receiving talent he's had in past years and is going against the best defense in football. The Vikings have no weaknesses especially on the defensive side of the ball. They gave up the fewest yards per game and fewest points per game at 15.8. Minnesota also ranked No. 2 in run defense and pass defense. Case Keenum is having a magical and career season. He's mobile and can rely on two solid running backs plus good receivers headed by Adam Thielen, who had the fifth most receiving yards in the league. Stefon Diggs is highly effective when healthy, which he is, and Kyle Rudolph is one of the best red zone tight ends. Both Diggs and Rudolph scored eight touchdowns this season. Another plus for Minnesota's offense is rookie center Pat Elfein is back practicing after being out and is likely to play. He's had an outstanding season. The Saints defense is improved, but is back to being shaky due to multiple injuries and fatigue. The Saints peaked during the middle part of the season in October and November. They've only played really well once in their last seven games. They lost to the Buccaneers in Week 17 surrendering 445 yards. The Saints defense has been on the field for 152 plays during the last two weeks, a massive amount, while the Vikings enjoyed a well-earned bye this past week. The combination of being down four defensive starters from the start of season and a heavy fatigue factor is going to leave the Saints defense highly vulnerable, while the Saints offense isn't going to be able to generate enough points to stay with Minnesota being on the road and operating against the premier defense in football.
01-14-18	Jaguars v. Steelers -7.5		45-42	Loss	-100	149 h 52 m	Show
I could write this analysis in two words: Blake Bortles. He's not beating the Steelers on the road. No matter how good Jacksonville's defense is, the Jaguars can't beat an elite foe on the road with Bortles behind center. He's too turnover-prone and inaccurate. The Steelers' run defense has taken a hit with Ryan Shazier out, but they will load the box just like the Bills did in holding the Jaguars to 10 points at home this past Sunday. Leonard Fournette isn't nearly as healthy and fresh as he was when the Jaguars stunned the Steelers at Heinz Field in Week 5. Bortles didn't play well in that game either. It was the Jaguars' defense that came up with five interceptions that set up that victory. Ben Roethlisberger has a strong history at home and in cold weather. Jacksonville hasn't played a cold weather game all season. The forecast is for temperatures in the 20s with a chance of snow. Antonio Brown should return for the Steelers. Even if he doesn't, Roethlisberger has a balanced attack. The Jaguars defense has to play things straight knowing Le'Veon Bell can beat them on the ground and catching passes out of the backfield while Roethlisberger has downfield targets with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Martavis Bryant. It's just an added plus if Brown is in the lineup, too.
01-13-18	Avalanche v. Stars OVER 5.5		4-1	Loss	-110	8 h 44 m	Show
When the teams last met on Dec. 3 there were 10 goals scored in Dallas' 7-3 victory. While I don't expect 10 goals to be scored again, I do believe it's not too much for each team to produce at least three goals apiece. The much-improved Avalanche rank fifth in the league in goals scored. They have scored 22 goals during their last five games. Dallas still remains without defenseman Marc Methot. The Stars aren't the scoring machine they were two seasons ago, but they are better than last season. Dallas ranks 12th in scoring. They've scored at least four goals in six of their last eight games. They draw the Avalanche without goalie Semyon Varlamov, who is out with a groin injury.
01-13-18	Florida International v. UTEP OVER 137	Top	68-72	Win	100	11 h 19 m	Show
These two teams have gone Over during their past eight meetings. Look for that tend to continue today. UTEP is giving up an average of 81.6 points during its last three games. Florida International is playing at a fast pace this season. The Over is 15-6-1 in the Panthers' last 22 games.
01-13-18	Stanford +4 v. Washington		73-64	Win	100	10 h 57 m	Show
I'm going to take the points in this battle of two surprise, overachieving teams. Stanford has won and covered three in a row. Washington already has surpassed last season's Pac-12 win total. The Huskies, though, have been fortunate going 9-1 in games decided by less than 10 points. The Huskies have covered just one of their last eight home contests.
01-13-18	Thunder -120 v. Hornets		101-91	Win	100	12 h 5 m	Show
The Thunder are in stop-the-pain mode losing three in a row. The latest loss was to Minnesota, which has emerged as an up-and-coming power. Now the Thunder drop down in class facing a non-playoff Eastern Conference team, Charlotte. Oklahoma City holds a huge talent edge here. The Thunder have been idle since Wednesday while the Hornets beat Utah, 99-88, last night. The Jazz weren't sharp after upsetting the Wizards as a 7 1/2-point 'dog in their previous game. The last time Charlotte played without rest was Dec. 27 at Golden State. The Hornets lost that game by 25 points to the Warriors. The Thunder have covered 10 of their last 14 times when playing on two days rest.
01-13-18	Evansville v. Drake UNDER 133		65-81	Loss	-110	8 h 55 m	Show
I like going Under in Missouri Valley Conference games. The pace is slower and teams are more deliberate taking ample time off the shot clock. This matchup follows that pattern. Evanville is one of the more methodical teams in the country. This is going to bother Drake. The Under has cashed in the Purple Aces' last four games.
01-13-18	Falcons v. Eagles UNDER 41.5		10-15	Win	100	55 h 56 m	Show
The marketplace has been active early in driving this total down. I agree with the move. The linesmaker opened this game way too high. The Falcons are perceived as a big offensive team. That was true last season. Not this season. Atlanta's defense is improved, but its offense regressed considerably minus guru offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Atlanta scored 27 fewer touchdowns and gained 816 fewer yards than last season. It's why the Falcons have gone Under during their past six games. If you factor in games the Falcons played against playoff teams this season, you'll see an 8-0 mark to the Under with the highest scoring game being 40 points. The Falcons also haven't faced a defense this good since Week 13 when they were held to nine points at home by the Vikings. Philadelphia is home and its defense is rested following a bye. The Eagles ranked No. 1 in run defense and were in the top-five in most of the major defensive categories, including scoring defense and total yards. The last three road teams combined to average only 6.3 points against the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles will be conservative on offense not wanting to trust, or open things up, with erratic backup quarterback Nick Foles. That means a heavy dose of power inside running with Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount and Corey Clement. The Eagles lost their main outside threat and top returner, Darren Sproles, earlier in the season. The temperature should be another plus for the under with the forecast calling for temperatures in the 30s with wind around 13 mph.
01-13-18	Falcons v. Eagles +3		10-15	Win	100	55 h 30 m	Show
Too much respect is being given to the Falcons here and not enough to the Eagles. The oddsmaker has overadjusted to Nick Foles being the Eagles quarterback. The Eagles are home, by far the more rested team, have the superior defense and an edge in special teams. The Eagles will win this game with defense and a strong ground game. The Falcons have the more name players on offense, but Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman all had down seasons especially compared to last season. Ryan has not thrown more than one touchdown pass during his last seven games. Jones scored just three touchdowns this season. Freeman rushed for 214 fewer yards than last season and accounted for eight touchdowns after scoring 13 touchdowns last season. Philadelphia was unbeaten at home this season until deciding to rest many of its starters in Week 17 during a loss to Dallas. The Eagles hold a strong homefield edge made moreso by cold weather, which the Falcons have yet to encounter this season. There's also a fatigue factor to consider. While many of the main Eagles have been off for nearly three weeks, the Falcons are playing in their third road game in four weeks. The Falcons have had to play either an above .500 team, or division rival, during each of the last 10 weeks. That's not only a physical drain, but a mental one, too.
01-13-18	Lakers v. Mavs UNDER 216		107-101	Win	100	9 h 22 m	Show
Not only is this the Lakers' first road game in 12 days, but it is an extremely early start at 11 a.m. Pacific time. That's a major plus for the Under. So is the way the Lakers have been playing defense. LA held the Kings to 86 points on Tuesday in a 99-86 victory. The Lakers followed that up by defeating the Spurs, 93-81, on Thursday. The Spurs had a number of starters out, but do possess excellent depth. The Lakers held San Antonio to 40.8 percent shooting from the floor while forcing 20 turnovers. Dallas ranks 10th in the league defensively holding foes to 104.4 points per game. The Mavericks held the Magic and Knicks to 100 and 99 points, respectively, during their last two home games. This matchup is going to be heavily influenced by a pair of rookie point guards, Lonzo Ball and Dennis Smith Jr. Ball is shooting 35.8 percent from the field. Smith has made just 39.4 percent of his field goals.
01-12-18	Nets +3.5 v. Hawks	Top	110-105	Win	100	15 h 33 m	Show
Should the worst team in the NBA be laying points, especially this many, to any opponent? My answer is no. Brooklyn is four games better than Atlanta in the standings. It's not a fluke. The Nets are the better team. The spot is ripe, too, for the Nets to defeat the Hawks. Atlanta is returning home following a five-game, nine day road swing fat and happy after upsetting the Nuggets in Denver two nights ago. Focus could be a real problem for the youthful, rebuiilding Hawks especially knowing nine of their next 10 games will be played at Philips Arena their home base. By contrast, the Nets should be extremely fired-up after being embarrassed at home by the Pistons, 114-80, Wednesday night. That was the Nets' worst home loss of the season. Brooklyn had been below-the-radar prior to that loss having lost by only one point in overtime to the Raptors in their previous game and coming within five points or fewer during their past five games before that. The Nets have the second-best ATS mark in the league at 25-16, including covering six in a row until the Detroit debacle. The Nets have covered 73 percent of their last 15 away games, too. Brookly still aspires to be a playoff team, at this point, being six games out of the final playoff spot in the East. The Hawks have no such aspirations.
01-12-18	Monmouth v. Niagara -120		77-78	Win	100	6 h 20 m	Show
The buy sign is back on Niagara after the Purple Eagles won consecutive road games against Siena and Marist. I'm not impressed with Monmouth, which is 5-10 on the season and 2-7 on the road. Niagara has covered five of the past six times versus foes with a losing record.
01-11-18	Clippers v. Kings +1.5		121-115	Loss	-104	10 h 0 m	Show
Take away Blake Griffin, Patrick Beverley, Danilo Gallinari, Austin Rivers and Milos Teodosic and the Clippers shouldn't be a road favorite against the Kings especially carrying a heavy fatigue like they do for this matchup. The Clippers are playing for the fourth time in six days, third time in five days and on back-to-back nights. They are in a huge letdown spot after stunning the Warriors, 125-106, at Golden State last night. Lou Williams was the hero for the Clippers against the Warriors scoring 50 points. Williams is having a fantastic season. He's the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year honors. Williams, however, has a history of not being nearly as effective when his minutes go up. Williams has logged 76 minutes in his past two games spanning the past three days. It wouldn't shock me if his shooting was off today - and the Clippers have no other consistent scorers to rely on with their many injuries. The Kings are more respectable with De'Aaron Fox back in the lineup. Fox scored 18 points and dished off seven assists when the Kings defeated the Nuggets by eight points at home three games ago. The Clippers and Kings meet again Saturday at Staples Center so the Kings definitely want to get the home victory.
01-11-18	Flames v. Lightning -1.5		5-1	Loss	-100	17 h 31 m	Show
Calgary has managed to win four in a row - all by one goal. But I see this as a kill spot for Tampa Bay, the best team in the NHL. So I'm laying 1 1/2 goals on the puck line in return for a strong plus price. The Lightning leads the NHL in goals scored while giving up the second-fewest goals. While the Flames have to be fat and happy picking up four consecutive victories, the Lightning should be primed for an all-out effort sensing a challenge at home and not playing again for a week. Tampa Bay has won five of its last six games by more than one goal.
01-11-18	NC-Wilmington v. Elon OVER 156.5		80-78	Win	100	13 h 3 m	Show
NC Wilmington averages 80.3 points per game. Elon averages 74.5 points a game. But what makes this a strong Over play is both team's defenses are terrible, especially Wilmington's, and both teams have been playing at a faster pace since league play. Wilmington ranks 344th defensively surrendering 85.9 points a game. The Seahawks rank near the bottom in many defensive statistical categories. They have given up an average of 90.6 points in their last three games. Elon can take advantage with its solid outside shooting. The Over has cashed in 13 of Wilmington's last 16 games while the Over has cashed in Elon's past seven home games.
01-11-18	Celtics -130 v. 76ers		114-103	Win	100	13 h 4 m	Show
I'm happily surprised to see this line open so low. Boston definitely is the superior team. The Celtics have proven that during the first two meetings this season beating the 76ers by an average of 10.5 points in sweeping both games one of which was played in Philadelphia. Both teams are in good form. But the Celtics have won six in a row. Boston leads the NBA in scoring defense and defensive field goal percentage. The Celtics have the top point spread mark in the NBA at 26-15-2, will have the best player on the court in Kyrie Irving and the better coach, Brad Stevens. Al Horford missed Boston's last game with a knee injury, but is expected to play while the 76ers will be mimus backup center Amir Johnson due to illness.
01-10-18	LSU v. Arkansas -9		75-54	Loss	-105	15 h 47 m	Show
Arkansas is in stop-the-pain mode following road losses to Mississippi State and Auburn. But now the Razorbacks return home where they have won the past 11 times dating back to last season, covering five of their last six at Bud Walton Arena. They catch LSU in a letdown spot. The Tigers are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 69-68 road upset of then No. 11 ranked Texas A&M. LSU achieved this victory by coming back from a five-point deficit with 12.4 seconds left. LSU immediately lost following big wins against Michigan in the Maui Invitational, Houston at home and Memphis on the road. This is a pattern with the Tigers, who are 6-15-1 ATS following a victory. The Razorbacks lead the SEC in scoring and field goal percentage. They hold a tremendous home-court advantage.
01-10-18	Magic +10.5 v. Bucks		103-110	Win	100	17 h 13 m	Show
I understand it's difficult to get behind Orlando, which has lost 14 of its last 15 and is 3-12 ATS during this span. I will point out the Magic led both the Cavaliers and Mavericks at halftime during their last two games and that the Magic have their two best scorers, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier, healthy again. But much of this handicap is a fade on the Bucks. Only twice since December - a span of 17 games - have the Bucks won by double-digits. Milwaukee has failed to cover during its past seven games versus opponents with a losing record. The Bucks also host Golden State on Friday in their next game. Milwaukee then goes on the road to take on the Heat and Wizards Sunday and Monday. So the backdoor should swing wide open for the Magic in case the Bucks do build up a lead. There would be no reason for Jason Kidd to play his starters big minutes here especially super star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been dealing with sore knees and even recently sat out a game.
01-10-18	Mavs v. Hornets -6.5	Top	115-111	Loss	-110	16 h 17 m	Show
Charlotte is poised to make a move. The Hornets are coming off a 3-1 West Coast trip highlighted by a victory against the Warriors. Charlotte is feeling confident and rested having last played on Friday. The Hornets are just 15-23, but they also have played the toughest schedule in the NBA in terms of opponent's winning percentage. Charlotte's schedule lightens up starting here. Dallas is playing for the fifth time in eight days and without rest. The Mavericks just defeated the Magic, 114-99, at home last night. Dallas has beaten some good teams - Spurs, Wizards, Raptors, Bucks and Thunder - but is 9-20 the past 29 times when facing opponents with a losing record, including 4-11 during the last 15 instances. The Hornets average 105 points a game. Dallas is 3-20 when giving up triple-digits. The Mavericks are vulnerable to Dwight Howard being one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. Howard ranks fourth in the league in rebounding.
01-10-18	UCF v. Connecticut +1		53-62	Win	102	6 h 3 m	Show
There are a lot of ebbs and flows to the college basketball season. Connecticut was going through a low period. But I see a buy sign now on the Huskies following their 70-65 win against East Carolina especially being home. The Huskies have won the last seven times against Central Florida. Central Florida plays great defense, but their offense is woeful especially from beyond the arc. So the Huskies can pack in their defense and get away with it.
01-09-18	Flames v. Wild -114		3-2	Loss	-114	8 h 46 m	Show
The price is right here to get the Wild at home. Minnesota has been dominant at Xcel Energy Center going 11-1-1 during its last 13 games there, including winning four in a row. The Wild outscored their last four opponents at home by a combined 12 goals. The Wild have extra incentive after being humiliated by Colorado on the road this past Saturday, 7-2. The Flames are 0-2 versus the Wild this season. Minnesota won both games with Alex Stalock in net where he'll be tonight.
01-09-18	Heat v. Raptors -3.5		90-89	Loss	-110	4 h 45 m	Show
The Raptors have won five in a row averaging 121.8 points per game during this span. Toronto has been dominant at home with a 14-1 record. Yet the line is much shorter than normal because Kyle Lowry is out. I believe the marketplace has overreacted to this injury. The Raptors are much better than the Heat. They've defeated the Heat the past five times in Toronto, too. DeMar DeRozan, who is on fire, is the Raptors' key player not Lowry. Miami has a couple of injuries, too, with Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow both out.
01-09-18	Ball State v. Ohio -1	Top	75-68	Loss	-110	13 h 38 m	Show
Ohio is 7-1 at home this season and catches Ball State traveling out of Indiana for the first time since before Thanksgiving. Often times a team that had a long winning streak just end doesn't play well in their next game. Ball State is in that position. The Cardinals had their nine-game win streak snapped this past Saturday losing by 20 points to Buffalo at home. Buffalo exposed the Cardinals' inconsistent perimeter game and lack of size. Ohio can do the same. The Cardinals are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 road contests after playing three or more home games in a row. Ball State isn't expected to have starting guard Jontrell Walker either. He was supsended indefinitely on Saturday after being charged with domestic battery.
01-09-18	Georgetown +7.5 v. St. John's	Top	69-66	Win	100	12 h 53 m	Show
I liked and respected Chris Mullin as a basketball player. But I don't think much of his coaching abilities. And I don't believe his St. John's team is good enough to be laying this many points to Georgetown. The Red Storm have yet to win a Big East game going 0-4. They are second-to-last in the conference in rebounding differential and have a weak perimeter defense. Georgetown averages nearly 81 points. St. John's averages 71.8 points, last in the conference. St. John's continues to be without injured Marcus LoVett and it has shown in bad home losses to DePaul and Providence. The Hoyas have covered all three of their lined road games this season. The line is high because the Hoyas are coming off a 90-66 home loss to Creighton. The good news, though, about that loss was that Georgetown's two best players, Jessie Govan and Markus Derrickson, played reduced mintues. Both should be fresh and fired-up for this matchup.
01-08-18	Alabama -4 v. Georgia		26-23	Loss	-108	132 h 57 m	Show
I want Alabama going for me here. The Tide beat Clemson in impressive style while Georgia had to launch a monster comeback to defeat Oklahoma in double overtime. The Tide had the less taxing bowl playoff game and a shorter distance to travel back home from New Orleans. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, are coming off a very dificult game in which they came back from a 31-17 halftime deficit and had to return all the way back from the West Coast having defeated the Sooners in southern California. Alabama and Georgia shared common opponents Auburn, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. Combining those games, the Tide came out with a plus 279 yardage mark against those four common foes to Georgia's plus 115. The Tide also recorded the better offensive and defensive yards per play statistics. Note, too, that Georgia coach Kirby Smart was Nick Saban's defensive coordinator before becoming the Bulldogs' head coach last season. Former Saban assistant coaches have squared off against their mentor 11 times - and are 0-11. Each of Alabama's victories against these coaches was by 14 or more points.
01-08-18	Alabama v. Georgia UNDER 45.5		26-23	Loss	-115	132 h 56 m	Show
Alabama is the best defensive team in the country. The Crimson Tide went into their playoff bowl game against Clemson ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, total defense and run defense. They then proceeded to hold the Tigers to six points. Clemson entered that game averaging 33.3 points a game. Alabama has held nine of its 13 opponents to 10 or fewer points. Georgia finished the regular season ranked fifth in scoring defense and sixth in total yards. The Bulldogs gave up 14 points or fewer to 10 of their 13 regular season opponents. But a wild 54-48 double overtime game against Oklahoma last week may have influenced the oddsmaker to open this total too high. The Bulldogs are stepping way up in defensive class taking on Alabama instead of Oklahoma. Georgia coach Kirby Smart was Nick Saban's defensive coordinator before taking over as the Bulldogs coach. He knows the Tide and should have a solid defensive game plan in place.
01-08-18	Bucks v. Pacers OVER 214		96-109	Loss	-105	2 h 45 m	Show
The Bucks are averaging 117.2 points during their last four games, including putting up 122 points on these same Pacers this past Wednesday in a 122-101 victory. The Pacers didn't have their leading scorer, Victor Oladipo, for that game. Oladipo returned from injury on Saturday and the Pacers scored 125 points in burying the Bulls. Both teams have above average offenses and Oladipo makes the Pacers far more dangerous on offense. It's also short revenge for the Pacers. The Bucks have been a huge Over team going above the total 18-7-1 in their last 26 games.
01-07-18	Hawks v. Lakers -3.5		113-132	Win	100	12 h 12 m	Show
Luke Walton is feeling heat as the Lakers have lost nine in a row. Clearly, it's stop-the-pain mode in LA. Luckily, the Lakers have the perfect opponent to do just that as they host the Hawks. Atlanta is in total rebuild mode. The Hawks are at their worst on the road where their record is 3-17. The Hawks' last away victory occurred on Dec. 2 against the Nets. The Lakers are back to full strength with Lonzo Ball and Brook Lopez healthy. They hold a talent edge on the Hawks. Atlanta has one good player, Dennis Schroder, and he's in a shooting slump. Schroder is 12-for-31 in his last two games from the floor. He has shot much worse on the road this season at 41.2 percent from the field.
01-07-18	Iowa v. Maryland UNDER 149.5		73-91	Loss	-105	10 h 30 m	Show
I'm expecting a lot of defensive intensity in this matchup and a slower pace from Maryland. The Hawkeyes are in stop-the-pain mode, while the Terrapins are coming off an embarrassing 30-point road loss to Michigan State. Iowa can take advantage of Maryland's lack of ballhandling skills. The Terrapins are still adjusting to the loss of forward Justin Jackson, who was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. The teams have gone Under the total during four of their last five meetings.
01-07-18	Bills v. Jaguars -8	Top	3-10	Loss	-103	126 h 29 m	Show
It's a nice story that the Bills finally made the playoffs for the first time since 1999. But, truth be told, the Bills have no business in the postseason. Buffalo was minus 57 in point differential. The Chargers, by contrast, were plus 83 in scoring differential but failed to make the playoffs. If LeSean McCoy doesn't play, the Bills will have the worst set of skill position players I've ever seen for a playoff team. Even if McCoy plays, he will be extremely limited by an ankle injury. It's not a surprise Buffalo ranked 31st in passing. Tyrod Taylor is more runner than thrower. The Bills thought so little of Taylor they benched him for Nathan Peterman in Week 11. Taylor has no decent wide receiving options. If McCoy is a no-go, the Bills' running backs will be plodding third-stringer Mike Tolbert and Marcus Murphy, who was just called up from the practice squad when second-string running back Travaris Cadet was lost for the season with a broken ankle in Week 16. The Jaguars give up the second-fewest points and yards per game in the league. They rank No. 1 in pass defense. I can't see the Bills putting up many points - if any - against the home Jaguars. Blake Bortles had a strong December with the exception of his last game. If you discount that performance on the road against the Titans in Week 17, Bortles had thrown nine touchdowns in his past four games. He has 1,000-yard rusher Leonard Fournette to do the heavy lifting. There's also the Doug Marrone factor. He coached the Bills from 2013-14 and so is extra familiar with Buffalo. Marrone's stay in Buffalo didn't end well so he won't be reluctant to run up a score.
01-07-18	Bills v. Jaguars UNDER 40		3-10	Win	100	126 h 28 m	Show
First off, I don't see the Bills scoring many points here - if any. The Bills rank 31st in passing. Their best skill position player is LeSean McCoy and he will be severly hampered by an ankle injury if he even plays. Tyrod Taylor can't attack downfield. He doesn't have the necessary talent to do that, nor does he have the wide receiving weapons. Buffalo has the worst wide receivers in the AFC. If McCoy is ruled out, Taylor's running backs will be overweight, over-the-hill third-stringer Mike Tolbert and practice squad player Marcus Murphy. Making this far worse for the Bills is they are on the road against maybe the premier defense in football. The Jaguars rank No. 2 in fewest yards per game and scoring defense giving up of 16.8 points per game. They led the NFL with 55 sacks and set a franchise-record with 21 interceptions in leading the NFL in pass defense. Defensive lineman Calais Campbell, linebacker Telvin Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey rank among the best at their respective positions. Buffalo's strength is a bend-but-don't-break defense. If you discount their games against the powerful Patriots, the Bills held their last four opponents to 12.2 points a game. The Jaguars aren't going to do anything that would jeopardize winning this game such as attacking downfield with erratic Blake Bortles. They are going to play a conservative, field-position game with lots of running plays. The Jaguars have three good running backs. Bortles can be turnover prone and he has inexperienced receivers. Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone is not a moron. He won't take chances attacking downfield. The Jaguars' offensive line isn't outstanding at run blocking. The Jaguars averaged fewer than four yards a carry in five of their last seven games. But the Bills ranked 29th in run defense. So that's where the Jaguars will attack while not risking any Bortles' interceptions. Lots of running eats up lots of clock.
01-06-18	Gonzaga v. Loyola Marymount +19.5		85-66	Win	100	13 h 47 m	Show
Loyola-Marymount is better than perceived, but this handicap is based more on a fade of Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are down from past seasons and have padded their statistics on bad teams. This is just Gonzaga's fourth true road game of the season. The Bulldogs are fat and happy after a 30-point blowout road win against Pepperdine. They are 2-9 ATS, however, following a point spread cover.
01-06-18	Pelicans v. Wolves -125		98-116	Win	100	14 h 12 m	Show
Minnesota is back from a bad East Coast trip that resulted in a 98-97 loss to the Nets on Wednesday and 91-84 defeat to the Celtics last night. Now the Timberwolves return home in stop-the-pain mode. They haven't lost three games in a row all season. Minnesota is 11-1 at Target Center this season and 20-6 versus Western Conference foes. The Timberwolves are 2-0 versus the Pelicans this season winning both times in New Orleans, 104-98, on Nov. 1 and 120-102 on Nov. 29. Karl-Anthony Towns helps off-set the inside dominance of DeMarcus Couins and Anthony Davis, while Jimmy Butler gives the Timberwolves the best non-big man on the floor. Butler is having another All-Star caliber season scoring 20 or more points in nine of his last 10 games. The Pelicans have played just one winning opponent during their past six games and that was Miami.
01-06-18	Pelicans v. Wolves OVER 218		98-116	Loss	-110	14 h 3 m	Show
The Pelicans are well rested and should have lots of energy. The Timberwolves are not strong defensively inside so Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins should be able to score plenty. The Pelicans score the fourth-most points per game in the NBA, but are 28th defensively. Minnesota ranks seventh in scoring. The Timberwolves have scored at least 106 points in 10 of their last 13 games. Jimmy Butler is riding a hot streak of scoring 20 or more points in nine of his last 10 games. The Timberwolves are stepping way down in defensive class after just playing the Celtics.
01-06-18	Canucks v. Maple Leafs OVER 5.5		2-3	Loss	-115	14 h 20 m	Show
I'm not a fan of either team's goalies or defense. Vancouver ranks 27th defensively and the Maple Leafs are the No. 5 scoring team in the league. Toronto has scored at least three goals in five of its last six games. Vancouver has good young offensive talent, though, and could get forward Sven Baertschi back. He's Vancouver's fourth-leading goal scorer. The Over has cashed in nine of Vancouver's last 11 games and in each of its past six away contests. The Over also has won in six of the past seven times the Maple Leafs have hosted the Canucks.
01-06-18	Central Michigan v. Kent State UNDER 145		69-85	Loss	-110	11 h 3 m	Show
Kent State isn't a very good shooting tean. That's reflected in the Golden Flashes going Under the total in 13 of their last 19 games. Central Michigan is a strong defensive club ranking 27th in the nation in fewest points allowed at 64.3 per game. A big reason why the Chippewas have a strong defensive club is because they play at a slow pace. So I don't see a fast tempo in this matchup, which makes the Under very attractive.
01-06-18	Titans v. Chiefs -8	Top	22-21	Loss	-110	107 h 28 m	Show
The Titans were good at two things this season - winning at home and beating foes from their weak AFC South Division. What the Titans aren't good at is winning on the road and defeating strong opponents. Tennessee has lost and failed to cover five of its last seven away matchups. The Titans' only victories during this span were against the winless Browns in overtime and beating the four-win Colts by four points. Except for the Jaguars, the Titans didn't beat a playoff team. The Titans have just two victories since Dec. 3. They lack playoff experience, too, having last made the postseason back in 2008. Kansas City is playoff-tested having made the postseason three of the past four seasons, including the last two. Andy Reid is a much better coach than Mike Mularkey and the Chiefs were able to rest a number of their key starters this past Sunday. The Chiefs play excellent defense at Arrowhead Stadium - holding foes to fewer than 17 points per game on the season - and their offense is back in gear. The Chiefs finished the regular season winning and covering their last four games while averaging 28 points. The Titans surrendered 27 touchdown passes. Their defense is far less effective on the road. Alex Smith had a career season leading the NFL in passer rating and shedding his image of being a mere game-manager. Smith's greatest strength is not turning the ball over. He has weapons with rookie Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill both establishing themselves as big-play threats. Hunt led the NFL in rushing. Travis Kelce is a top-three tight end. The Chiefs' braintrust of Reid and sharp offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is far superior to Mularkey, whose conservative strategies caused promising third-year quarterback Marcus Mariota to regress. Mariota was picked off a career-high 15 times. The Titans probably aren't going to have DeMarco Murray. So the Titans are left to counter the Chiefs' high-powered, balanced attack with Mariota, who has played much worse on the road, and Derrick Henry. The Chiefs are likely to load the box since the Titans have failed to establish a downfield passing game, another weakness of Mularkey. Tennessee averaged 15 points in losing its last two road games, falling to the Cardinals and 49ers. Neither of those teams made the playoffs.
01-06-18	VCU +3.5 v. La Salle		80-74	Win	100	5 h 41 m	Show
The road team has covered six of the last seven in this series and I see that continuing here. VCU is coming off a tough overtime road loss to St. Joe's. The Rams had won four in a row prior to that. I don't think LaSalle is better than VCU. The Explorers are coming off a tough game, too, at Rhode Island. They could be without their leading scorer, B.J. Johnson. He is dealing with an ankle injury.
01-05-18	Wizards v. Grizzlies OVER 206	Top	102-100	Loss	-108	14 h 8 m	Show
The rankings show Memphis to be 29th in scoring. But the rankings don't reflect current form. The Grizzlies are much improved offensively. Sparked by a great season from Tyreke Evans, the Grizzlies are averaging 111.3 points in their last six games. Evans has scored at least 20 points in eight of the past 10 games. This is a rare nationally televised game for the Grizzlies so they should be motivated to put on a show. The Wizards are finally at full strength with John Wall and Otto Porter back to being 100 percent. They've helped Washington to win three in a row. The Wizards are averaging 118.7 points during their win streak. Going back to their last six games, the Wizards are averaging 116 points. This also marks Washington's lone road matchup during a nine-game span. The Wizards have surrendered an average of 116.6 points in their last three road contests.
01-05-18	Golden Knights v. Blackhawks -120	Top	5-4	Loss	-120	16 h 36 m	Show
The Blackhawks are getting in gear beating the Rangers, 5-2, on Wednesday. Chicago limited the Rangers to 25 shots and have gotten better play in goal after promoting Jeff Glass. He has a .917 save percentage in his first three NHL starts. Chicago catches Las Vegas in a tough spot. It's a huge understatement to say the Golden Knights have exceeded expectations. They have been the greatest first-year success story so far, but this is a terrible spot for them. Las Vegas just played the Blues tough on the road last night losing 2-1. This not only marks their second game in two days but sixth game in 10 days. The loss to the Blues also snapped an eight-game Las Vegas win streak. Often times a team will be flat when playing without rest after having a long win streak ended. The Golden Knights could have backup goalie Malcolm Subban in net, too, after starter Marc Andre-Fleury played last night. The Blackhawks are a solid 10-5-2 at home this season while outscoring the opposition by more than one goal per game.
01-05-18	Penguins v. Islanders OVER 6		4-0	Loss	-110	3 h 24 m	Show
I'm going to follow the Islanders' Over machine again. Only once in their last 11 games have the Islanders gone Under the total. New York is bad defensively and lacks good goalies. The Islanders have allowed 21 goals in their last four games. Pittsburgh is struggling defensively, too, giving up four goals in four of its last six games. The teams met slightly more than a month ago and seven goals were scored. It marked the fourth time in the last five meetings the Over has cashed in this series.
01-05-18	Niagara +1.5 v. Siena		84-76	Win	100	9 h 35 m	Show
Just think the wrong team opened as the favorite. Siena isn't very good. The Saints have a losing home mark while being outscored by six pointd per game at home. Going back to their last 16 home contests, the Saints have covered just five times. Niagara has a winning spread mark on the road. The Purple Eagles covered both of their games last season versus Siena.
01-05-18	Wisconsin v. Rutgers +2.5		60-64	Win	100	7 h 25 m	Show
Wisconsin is way down from previous seasons. The Badgers also have a cluster injury problem in their backcourt. Among the Badgers who won't be playing is starting guard Brevin Pritzl, who has a head injury. The Badgers haven't played well on the road going 3-9-2 ATS in their last 14 away contests. Rutgers, by contrast, has covered six of its last seven home games. Rutgers is in stop the pain mode having lost three in a row. This is a good spot for the Scarlet Knights to end that losing skid.
01-04-18	Thunder -120 v. Clippers	Top	127-117	Win	100	14 h 32 m	Show
The Thunder have covered in four of their last five games against the Clippers, including beating them, 120-111, at home on Nov. 10. Oklahoma City has picked up its play winning 13 of 18 since December as Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony are all better in sync with each other now. The Thunder played one of their best games in beating the Lakers, 133-96, last night at Staples Center. That's the venue for this matchup so no travel is involved for the Thunder. The Clippers are playing better, too, but have just met five straight sub .500 teams, including the 12-26 Grizzlies twice. This is a step up in class for the Clippers and they still have key injuries with Patrick Beverley and Danilo Gallinari out and Austin Rivers questionable.
01-04-18	Cincinnati v. Temple UNDER 138		55-53	Win	100	8 h 35 m	Show
I really like Cincinnati's defense, which is the fourth-stingiest in the nation giving up 59.1 points per game. The Bearcats also rank sixth in defensive field goal percentage. Cincinnati has been a strong Under play when on the road. The Under has cashed a whopping 75 percent of the time during their last 64 away contests. Temple is respectable defensively, too, and catch the Bearcats down backup point guard Cane Broome, who was averaging nearly 10 points a game and three assists per game
01-04-18	Warriors -4 v. Rockets		124-114	Win	100	11 h 41 m	Show
Until proven otherwise, I see the world champion Warriors as the best team in basketball. When the Warriors really want to win, they win. That should be the case here with the Warriors facing their strongest challenger in the Western Conference. I'd like the Rockets' chances far more if they had James Harden. But they don't. He's out with a hamstring injury. The Rockets didn't need him in burying the Magic, 116-98, at Orlando last night. I can't see the Rockets, though, hanging real close to the Warriors without Harden. Stephen Curry is back for the Warriors and he's hot making 24 of 36 shots from the field in two games since returning to the lineup after being out for 11 games. The Warriors also were in action last night, beating the Mavericks, 125-122. The Warriors have the shorter trip to Houston than the Rockets do coming from central Florida. Golden State also has the better bench. Until defeating the hapless Magic and Lakers, Houston had dropped five in a row. This will be just their second game of the season without Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring and is third in assists. Golden State has won its last eight road games and is 11-2 versus the Rockets during its past 13 regular-season meetings, including beating the Rockets six consecutive times at Toyota Center.
01-04-18	Islanders v. Flyers OVER 6		4-6	Win	100	7 h 59 m	Show
The Flyers have allowed three or more goals in five of their last six games. Now they draw the Islanders, who are the No. 3 goal scoring team in the league. The Islanders, though, rank last in defense making them an Over machine. Only once in the Islanders' last 10 games has the Under cashed. I don't like the goalies on either team either. The teams have met twice this season and both games went Over with totals of seven and nine goals being scored.
01-03-18	Senators v. Red Wings UNDER 5.5		1-2	Win	100	10 h 5 m	Show
Both teams have trouble scoring with the Senators ranking 28th in goals per game and the Red Wings rating 26th. I'm expecting a conservative, tight-checking game between these two teams with the Senators, who have won just four times in their past 21 games, knowing they have a real shot at a victory here. The Senators, though, will have to accomplish that with defense. If you discount a five-goal performance versus Columbus, the Senators have scored just one goal in their last three games. Part of the problem is the Senators' passive attack. They have drawn just five power play opportunities in their past four games, failing to score on each one. The Red Wings are much stronger defensively at home. They've allowed only seven goals in regulation in their past five home contests. Jimmy Howard has been playing well in net for Detroit giving up seven goals during his last four starts. He's allowed three goals to Ottawa in two games this season.
01-03-18	Rockets v. Magic UNDER 221	Top	116-98	Win	100	13 h 33 m	Show
This will be the Rockets' first game this season without James Harden. There hasn't been a more devastating offensive player in the NBA than Harden, who is averaging a league-best 32.3 points and 9.1 assists. There will be an adjustment period for Houston as Harden probably is going to miss a couple of weeks after suffering a hamstring injury this past Sunday against the Lakers. Chris Paul and Clint Capela have returned from their injuries. But they've only been back for a short time so there's a get-in-sync factor that is even more pronounced now that Harden is sidelined. Orlando is a below average offensive team that was just held to 95 points by the Nets this past Monday. Brooklyn ranks 26th defensively. If you discount the 111 points the Magic put up on banged-up Miami, Orlando is averaging 96.6 points in its last six games.
01-03-18	East Carolina v. South Florida UNDER 131.5	Top	67-65	Loss	-110	14 h 3 m	Show
Yes, this is a low total. But it's not low enough given how bad these teams are offensively. East Carolina ranks 332nd in scoring averaging 65.6 points. South Florida is even worse averaging 63.8 points. What makes this worthy of an Under play is not just these team's lack of scoring, but tempo. Each team plays a slow-paced game and commits a lot of turnovers. Both are much stronger on defense than they are on offense. South Florida is even more defensive-minded at home where the Under has cashed nine of the last 11 times.
01-02-18	Nebraska +8.5 v. Northwestern		70-55	Win	100	10 h 57 m	Show
Northwestern isn't anything special neither talent-wise nor size-wise. The Wildcats also hold just a minimal home court advantage with their on-campus arena being renovated. This is forcing them to play their home games in Rosemont at the huge AllState Arena. The Wildcats also may be without their third leading scorer, Bryan McIntosh. He's nursing an injured knee. Nebraska has won three in a row. The Cornhuskers are averaging 75.8 points a game. That's their highest scoring average in more than 20 years.
01-02-18	Hawks v. Suns -125	Top	103-104	Win	100	13 h 20 m	Show
The Hawks have the worst record in the NBA and it's because they are 3-15 on the road. Atlanta is 1-10 in its last 11 away games with the lone victory during this time frame occurring versus the Nets. I don't think it's too much ask of the Suns to defeat the Hawks at home. The Suns have covered four of the last five at home against Atlanta and are playing well winning five of their last eight games. The Suns are a much better team with Devin Booker back in the lineup. Booker is ninth in the league in scoring at 24.9 points per game. It's not just his scoring, but his play-making and ability to create space for his teammates that make him so valuable. It helps that TJ Warren and Marquese Criss also have been playing well for Phoenix and that Tyler Ulis has solidified the point guard spot. The Hawks have an outstanding point guard in Dennis Schroeder. But the Hawks have an unimpressive front line that Tyson Chandler and Greg Monroe can do well against. The Hawks carry a fatigue rating, too, playing for the third time in five days and fourth in seven days.
01-02-18	Blue Jackets v. Stars OVER 5.5		2-1	Loss	-102	5 h 34 m	Show
I want to get behind Dallas with this total priced lower than 6. The Stars have scored 20 goals in their last five games. The Over has cashed in six of Dallas' last seven home games. The Blue Jackets have surrendered five goals in each of their last three games. Columbus, though, has scored four goals in three of its last six games.
01-02-18	Sharks v. Canadiens OVER 5.5		4-1	Loss	-100	10 h 6 m	Show
Look for the Sharks to play faster after they sleepwalked through a 6-0 road loss to the Stars on Sunday. That was their worst defeat of the season. Logan Couture, the Sharks' leading goal scorer, returned after missing the last four games. He didn't play well, but did get the rust off. Montreal is giving up an average of four goals per game during its last four games. The Canadians have gotten more aggressive on offense in an effort to break a four-game losing streak. This is their first home game since Dec. 14. A strong effort should be forthcoming. The teams met on Oct. 17 and the Sharks won 5-2.
01-02-18	Penguins v. Flyers OVER 5.5		5-1	Win	100	9 h 18 m	Show
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins are a major disappointment so far this season. They've allowed the fourth-most goals in the NHL. The Penguins could get back offensive-minded defenseman Kris Letang for this matchup and I expect them to snap out of their scoring slump facing the Flyers. Philadelphia has given up three or more goals in five of its last six games. The Penguins were held to only one goal in their last game, a 4-1 road loss to the Red Wings on Sunday. But the Penguins did fire 38 shots on goal. The Penguins and Flyers put up nine goals in their previous meeting this season on Nov. 27 in Pittsburgh with the Penguins winning, 5-4.
01-01-18	Sabres v. Rangers UNDER 5.5		2-3	Win	100	5 h 10 m	Show
An early day time start on New Year's Day has certain built-in advantages for a low-scoring matchup. Those elements are enhanced by this game being playing outdoors in frigid conditions at Citi Field in Queens. It's also aided greatly by the Sabres being involved. Buffalo is 31st in goals. The Rangers will be without Chris Kreider, who is tied for second in goals on the team. New York will be going against a hot goalie in Robin Lehner, who has a .933 save percentage in his last five games. New York has scored only five goals in its last three games. The Sabres are likely to be facing Henrik Lundqvist, who is coming off a strong December where he posted a .936 save percentage.
01-01-18	LSU v. Notre Dame +3.5	Top	17-21	Win	100	19 h 41 m	Show
I see these teams as near even with Notre Dame slightly better. So I'll gladly accept points here. I like Notre Dame's running back depth better and offensive line where they have two projected first-round draft picks. Guard Quenton Nelson is expected to be the first offensive linemen selected in the draft. I also prefer Brandon Wimbush to Danny Etling at quarterback. The statistics of these two teams are very close. Notre Dame, though, has a clear edge in averaging 6.4 yards per run while allowing 4.0 yards compared to LSU averaging 4.9 and 3.9 defensively. The key is who runs the ball better and that's another checkmark for Notre Dame, which rates seventh-best in the nation. Strength of schedule also favors the Irish. This was not a great year in the SEC. LSU had its worst losses against Mississippi State and Alabama. The Tigers also were shocked by Troy. The Irish are the healthier team, too, especially at linebacker. The line is shaded towards LSU because Notre Dame lost late games against Stanford and Miami both on the road. The Irish are refreshed and have regrouped now. They are the team worth backing.
12-31-17	Washington v. UCLA -9		53-74	Win	100	12 h 25 m	Show
Washington is just 4-11-1 ATS in its last 16 Pac-12 games. But the Huskies caught the attention of UCLA with an 88-81 road win against USC this past Friday. That was the Huskies' first Pac-12 road victory in nearly two seasons. The Burins are 7-1 at home this season and have covered eight of the last 11 times versus the Huskies. Mike Hopkins has turned around the Huskies in his first season. But I don't see Washington being there yet for this huge early-season conference road matchup. The Bruins are averaging nearly 84 points a game with a balanced attack and a lot of height. It will be too much for Washington at this stage.
12-31-17	Penguins -127 v. Red Wings		1-4	Loss	-127	10 h 20 m	Show
Pittsburgh is having a disappointing season to put it mildly. But I see the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions getting things into gear soon. I don't envision them losing to the Red Wings even if top goalie Matt Murray and star defenseman Kris Letang remain out. Detroit is off a shootout home win against the Rangers two days ago. The Red Wings achieved that victory minus their leading goal scorer, Anthony Mantha. He's not likely to play here either due to injury. Only twice since Nov. 9 have the Red Wings won two games in a row. Detroit has lost 13 of its last 17 games.
12-31-17	Hornets v. Clippers -2.5		98-106	Win	100	7 h 56 m	Show
The Clippers are the superior team with Blake Griffin back and are home. LA is on a 9-1-1 against the spread run. The Hornets are coming off a shocking upset of the Warriors at Golden State just two days ago. Even with that victory, the Hornets are just 5-13 in their past 18 games. Dwight Howard has played well for Charlotte, but he won't do much against defensive whiz DeAndre Jordan.