The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Cleveland Browns (1:00 EST).

The 5-9 San Diego Chargers are in Cleveland to take on the 0-14 Browns and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Cleveland most recenlty fell 33-13 in Buffalo last week. 

San Diego has been eliminated from playoff contention and has lost three in a row, most recently at the hands of the Raiders.

So which of these two teams has more to play for today?

Clearly the answer is the winless Browns, who will still get the first draft pick if they manage to get off the schneid with an outright victory.

Last week San Diego QB Philip Rivers passed for only 206 yards, while the ground game posted a mere 73. Note that Rivers and company haven’t score more than 21 points in any of their last four games.

Robert Griffin III though is playing for his career right now. Last week he was 17 of 28 for 196 yards, no TD’s and no INT’s. 

San Diego is without starting RB Melvin Gordon and top WR Keenan Allen and has little to play for.

This is the Browns best opportunity for a victory this season and while I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will ultimately recommend grabbing as many points as you can in this fantastic situational opportunity. 

Good luck…Larry

My 10* SIDE OF THE WEEK is on the Atlanta Hawks (9:05 EST).

Denver is just 12-17 but looks poised for a letdown here in my opinion after winning three of its last four.

Atlanta is 14-15 on the year, but sits just two games back in its division. 

The Hawks are interestingly just 1-6 in their last seven home games, most recently falling 92-84 to the Wolves. So far Atlanta averages 102 points per game. Big man Dwight Howard hasn’t been in the line-up the last two games, but Paul Millsap is still a force to be reckoned with, he had 18 points, seven assists, ten boards and two steals in the humbling setback to Minnesota. 

The Nuggets had their mini three-game win skein snapped in a 119-102 blowout loss at the hands of the Clippers. Will Barton was a bright spot with 22 points. Denver has been decent offensively, but its defense has been atrocious, conceding a whopping 109.7 PPG, which ranks its 27th overall. 

I’ll point out that Atlanta is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 as an underdog, while Denver is just 12-20 ATS in its last 32 when playing with two days of rest and and just 6-8 ATS in its last 14 as a home fav of 3.5 to six points.

I think that the Hawks are the more desperate team tonight. Denver’s little run is over and once momentum is lost, it’s very difficult to flip a switch and get it back. 

While I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on Atlanta.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Armed Forces Bowl PERFECT STORM is on Louisiana Tech (4:30 EST). 

The 8-5 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are playing against the 9-4 Navy Midshipmen in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Bulldogs.

Louisiana Tech will be especially motivated in this one I think after dropping its last two, most recently falling 58-44 to WKU in the Conference USA title game. 

The Midshipmen can empathize, they also come in having lost two straight, most recently to Temple in the AAC Championship game. Navy lost its starting QB in the final regular season game and then its starting RB suffered an injury in the Championship game.

Suffice it to say, I think the Bulldogs take advantage. 

The Midshipmen are ranked 22nd in the country in scoring with 37.5 PPG, but as just mentioned, that offense has recently taken a major hit. 

Louisiana Tech puts up 44 points and concedes 32.7. QB Ryan Higgins has 4,208 passing yards and a 37:8 TD/INT ratio. 

And that doesn’t bode well for a medicore Navy defense which allows 30.4 PPG. 

I’ll also point out that Louisiana Tech is 7-0 ATS in its last seven after allowing more than 40 points in its previous contest, while Navy is 0-4 ATS in its last four against teams with winning records.

If Navy had its starting QB under center, I’d likely think differently about this one. However, that’s not the case. The Bulldogs’ high-flying offense is going to prove to be too much for the Midshipmen to keep up to down the stretch in my opinion. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Bahamas Bowl PERFECT STORM is on Eastern Michigan (1:00 EST).

The 7-5 Eastern Michigan Eagles are playing the 9-3 Old Dominion Monarchs on Friday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Eagles.

EMU finished fourth in the MAC West, while ODU finished 7-1 in conference play.

The Eagles are playing in their first bowl game since 1987. QB Brogan Roback had 2,394 passing yards and a 16:6 TD/INT ratio after missing the first three games of the year.

EMU posted an average of 30.4 PPG, ranked 58th overall, while conceding 30.3 PPG, ranked 80th.

The Monarchs are playing their first-ever bowl game. QB David Washington had 2,648 yards and a 28:4 TD/INT ratio. ODU would go on to finish 27th in the nation in scoring with an average of 36 PPG, while conceding 27.8 PPG, ranked 64th.

I’ll point out though that EMU is 6-2 ATS as an underdog this year and 3-1 ATS in non-conference games, while ODU is just 3-9 ATS in its last 12 non-conference contests. 

With the extra time off to prepare, I think that Roback and company can take this one down to the wire. Play on Eastern Michigan.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Cal State Fullerton (10:30 EST).

The 7-4 Portland Pilots get ready to battle the 4-7 Cal State Fullerton Titans and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

I believe the Pilots will have a letodwn here after their 77-75 home loss to Portland State. The Titans will look to get back on track after they fell 102-96 in OT at Nebraska Omaha. 

Note that CS Fullerton plays with revenge today after falling 65-60 in last year’s matchup. 

Only three players score in double figures for Portland. In fact, the Pilots have just five players that average more than 3.7 PPG, one of which is Alec Wintering, who is 24th in the country in scoring at 21.3 PPG. 

Note that Portland is ranked 92nd on the offensive end at 78.3 PPG, while ranked 206th on the defensive end in conceding 71.3 PPG.

Cal State Fullerton averages 76.5 PPG and concedes 77.5. Seven players had at least eight points in the most recent loss. Keep your eyes on Lionheart Leslie (12.5 PPG) and Tre Coggins (19.6).

I’ll point out that Portland is interestingly just 1-4 ATS in its last five against poor defensive teams which allow 77-plus points per contest, while CS Fullerton is already 3-1 ATS at home this year.

I think the Titans are the more motivated side in this matchup and while I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on CS Fullerton.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Philadelphia Eagles (8:25 EST).

The 10-4 New York Giants are in Philadelphia to take on the 5-9 Eagles and despite having been eliminated from contention already, I think this one favors the home side.

New York is looking to grab the top wildcard spot in the NFC, but plays its final two games of the year on the road, where it’s just 3-3 so far.

The Giants most recently beat the Lions 17-6 at home on Sunday, but the Eagles also play with revenge today after dropping the first meeting of the year 28-23. 

New York’s weak point is its offense. Last week Eli Manning was 20 of 28 for 201 yards, two TD’s and no picks. But on the season the offense averages just 320.6 YPG, including only 81.2 on the ground. The Giants get the job done on the defensive end, conceding just 17.9 PPG. 

Philadelphia had a chance to keep its playoff hopes alive last week, but QB Carson Wentz’s pass to Jordan Matthews for a two point conversion was tipped at the line. I think the Eagles and Wentz come out fired up this week. RB Ryan Mathews had 128 yards on 20 carries and a TD. 

The Eagles rank ninth overall in rushing yards with 112.9 per game, but are just 24th in passing YPC at 227.5. Defensively they’re ranked in the middle of the pack, conceding 344.2 YPG, 12th overall.

I’ll point out that New York is just 2-3 ATS on the road this season and only 5-7 ATS in its last 12 after two or more consecutive SU victories, while Philadelphia is 7-4 ATS in its last 11 after two or more consecutive SU losses and 4-2 ATS this year when playing in front of the home town crowd.

The Eagles won’t be rolling over today and while I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on Philadelphia.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Colorado State.

The 7-5 Colorado State Rams battle the 8-4 Idaho Vandals in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Thursday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Rams.

Colorado State won four of its last five games, while Idaho won its final four in the regular season. 

The Rams looked impressive in their final game, smashing SDSU 63-31. QB Nick Stevens posted a season-high four TD’s in the victory. CSU also features a strong run game, led by Izzy Matthews and Dalyn Dawkins. The Rams would finish the season averaging 34.1 PPG, ranked 31st in the country. The defense was not the strength of the team, but it was decent, conceding just 27.8 PPG in the end. 

The Vandals will likely be playing their final bowl game in quite some time as the team will drop from FBS to FCS next year. QB Matt Linehan had over 2,800 yards passing, 15 TD’s and ten INT’s. Like the Rams, Idaho features a strong running tandem in Aaron Duckworth and Isaiah Saunders.

The Vandals though posted just 28.2 PPG, which placed them 68th overall.

Their defense was a strong point, allowing 29.8 PPG, ranked 77th. 

I’ll point out though that Colorado State is 14-3-1 ATS in its last 18 non-conference games, while Idaho is 7-18-1 ATS in its last 26 against teams with winning records. 

I think the Rams are going to be able to contain this rather vanilla Vandals’ offense, while at the same time, I expect Colorado State’s superior offensive unit to prove to be too much for Idaho to keep up with down the stretch. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Western Michigan (11:00 EST).

The 3-7 WMU Broncos are at UCLA to take on the 12-0 Bruins and while I won’t be so bold as to predict an outright upset, I do think that the hungry visitors can keep this one competitive against what I think will be a complacent home side. 

The Broncos enter off a hard-fought 92-86 loss at Washington, while UCLA managed an 86-73 win over Ohio State last time out.

WMU averages 75.4 PPG, but it concedes 80.7. 

On paper that doesn’t look too good going against the Bruins second ranked offense, which averages 96.9 PPG. Defensively UCLA allows 74.5 PPG, which is ranked 68th overall in the country. 

From a trend based stand point though, this one sets up very well for the visitors, as note that the Broncos are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 versus good offensive teams which score 77-plus points per contest, while the Bruins are just 2-4 ATS in their last six as a home fav in the 24.5 to 30 points range.

The Broncos have put up at least 75 PPG this year and I think they’ll be able to keep this one close enough to easily cover with the monster spread they’ve been afforded. Play on Western Michigan.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Wyoming (9:00 EST).

The 8-5 Wyoming Cowboys get ready to battle the 8-4 BYU Cougars in the Poinsettia Bowl on Wednesday night and for a number of different reasons I think this one favors Wyoming. 

BYU won its final four games, while Wyoming lost to SDSU in the Mountain West Championship game. 

It was “oh so close” for the Cowboys against the Aztecs, but in the end they’d fall 27-24. QB Josh Allen threw an uncharacteristic two INT’s in the setback. He also had three TD’s. RB Brian Hill had 1,213 yards on the season, ranking him fourth in the country. 

Note that Wyoming averages 37.1 PPG, which ranks 24th overall. The defense has been the weak point, conceding 34.8 PPG. 

But that defense catches a break in facing a BYU team which will be without the services of starting QB Taysom Hill, who suffered a season-ending injury in the final game of the campaign. That means that Tanner Mangum will get the call. Mangum is a competent replacement, finishing with 3,377 yards, 23 TD’s and ten INT’s last year. 

That said though, clearly he’s been thrust into the spotlight tonight and I think he’s going to stumble on the national stage. And note, BYU wasn’t fantastic offensively anyways, averaging 30 PPG, which ranks 62nd. The defense was the strong point, ranked 15th in conceding an average of 19.4 PPG. 

I’ll point out though that Wyoming is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 non-conference games while BYU is just 3-7 ATS in its last ten non-conference contests.

The Cowboys feature a dynamic offense, one which I think the Cougars will have a hard time matching pace against. Losing Hill is significant and a factor which I think the books haven’t properly taken into account. Grab as many points as you can, play on Wyoming.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Phoenix Suns (9:00 EST).

The 21-7 Houston Rockets are in Phoenix to take on the 8-20 Suns and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Houston enters off a 111-109 OT win over the Wolves on Saturday and then fell 102-100 at home to the Spurs just last night.

It’s the opportunity that the hungry Suns have been waiting for and while I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can as I look for Phoenix to at the very least, take this one down to the wire.

Houston is an offensive juggernaut in averaging 113.1 PPG, ranked second only to the Warriors. The defense though is poor, conceding 105.8 PPG, which is 20th overall. 

Phoenix can score with the best of them, averaging 106.4 PPG, which ranks it ninth overall. Like the Rockets though, the weak point for the Suns comes on the defensive end where they concede 113.1, ranked 29th in the league.

I’ll point out though that Houston is just 6-8 ATS in its last 14 as a road fav in the 3.5 to six points range, while Phoenix is already 3-1 ATS this season after three or more consecutive SU losses, 6-4 ATS against teams with winning records and 3-1 ATS in its last four as a home dog in the 3.5 to six points range.

For all the reasons listed above, I’m grabbing the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Chicago Bulls (8:00 EST).

The 12-15 Washington Wizards are in Chicago to take on the 14-13 Bulls and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Washington comes in off a 107-105 loss at Indiana on Monday, while Chicago destroyed Detroit 113-82 to halt a three-game slide. I think the Wizards have a letdown here and expect the Bulls to build off their latest victory.

The Wizards are just 2-9 on the road this year. Defense is the weak point for Washington as it concedes an average of 106.4 PPG, ranked 22nd. 

Chicago on the other hand averages 101.6 PPG and concedes just 99.3, which is ranked fifth. 

I’ll point out that the Wizards are just 4-7 ATS on the road this year and only 38-40 ATS in their last 78 after scoring 105 points or more, while the Bulls are 4-2 ATS this year following a divisional contest and 8-6 ATS in their last 14 home games.

For all the reasons listed above, I’m backing the home side. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Detroit Pistons (7:35 EST).

The 18-11 Memphis Grizzlies are in Detroit to take on the 14-16 Pistons and for a number of different reasons I think this one favors the home side. 

No need to overthink this one in my opinion, as Memphis was at home to Boston just last night, falling 112-109. 

I think the hungry home side, which has dropped three straight, including a listless 113-82 road setback at Chicago on Monday, finds a way to get the job done at the end of the night. 

And to say this is a “revenge” game for the home side would be a bit of an understatement, as Memphis has taken 12 of the last 13 meeting, including a 93-92 win in Detroit back on December 9th, 2015. 

Memphis is ranked just 29th in scoring offense, posting 96.4 PPG. The Grizzlies get the job done on the defensive end though, conceding just 96.7 PPG, which is ranked No. 2.

Detroit’s offense is ranked 25th overall, averaging 98.4 PPG. The defense though has also been stout, conceding 97.4 PPG, which is third overall in the league.

I’ll point out though that Memphis is just 2-8 ATS in its last ten as a road dog of 6.5 to nine points, while Detroit is already 3-1 ATS this year after three or more consecutive SU losses. 

I like the desperate home side to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. Play on Detroit.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Michigan State (7:00 EST).

The 9-1 Oakland Grizzlies are in Michigan to take on the 7-5 Spartans for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

Oakland enters off a 74-53 win over Robert Morris last week, but then fell to Northeastern 61-59 just last night.

Suffice it to say, I think the Grizzlies come into this one with “heavy legs.” 

Oakland averages 86.3 PPG, which is ranked 31st in the nation and concedes just 66.6. 

The Spartans will look to take advantage and to bounce back after losing 81-73 to Northeastern on Sunday. So far Michigan State averages 72.2 PPG, while conceding 68.8, which is ranked 128th in the country.

I’ll point out that Oakland is just 3-4 ATS in its last seven non-conference games, while MSU is 4-2 ATS against teams with winning records this year and 4-0 ATS versus good offensive teams which score 77 plus points per contest.

I think the Grizzlies come into this one gassed and the hungry and underachieving home side pulls away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. Play on Michigan State.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Illinois (7:00 EST).

Frankie Hughes leads Missouri in scoring at 12.7 PPG. The Tigers enter on a losing streak and I think will be hard pressed to match pace with the Fighting Illini.

Malcolm Hill leads the way for Illinois in averaging 18.2 PPG. Most recently Illinois comes off a win over a talented BYU team.

The Tigers have so far been a major disappoinment and note that they’ve struggled mightily in this spot already for bettors, going 3-4 ATS in non-conference games and just 1-2 ATS when playing the role of underdogs, while the Fighting Illini come into this one surging, having gone 4-1 ATS so far in December.

I expect these strong trends to continue, lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Boca Raton Bowl Blowout Special is on Western Kentucky (7:00 EST).

The 8-4 Memphis Tigers are battling the 10-3 WKU Hilltoppers in the Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors Western Kentucky.

WKU is coming off its second straight Conference USA championship after topping Louisiana Tech 58-44 in the title game. 

Memphis won three of its final four, including a 48-44 upset over Houston in its regular season finale.

Tigers’ QB Riley Ferguson threw for 3,326 yards this year and leads an offense which averaged 39.5 PPG. Memphis would also go on to allow just 27 PPG. 

The Hilltopers defense ranks No. 29 nationally in opponent yards per play (5.12). They also rank 39th nationally in total points per game at just 24.1. QB Mike White is the focal point of an offense that averages 517.4 yards per game and 45.1 points per contest (that’s second overall in the country). 

WKU has held three of its last five opponents to under ten points and recorded five sacks against Louisiana Tech in the C-USA Championship game. 

I’ll point out that Memphis is just 1-4 ATS in its last five neutral site games, while WKU is 5-1 ATS in its last six following a SU victory.

Ultimately I think that WKU is more tested, it’s non-conference schedule was tough, featuring games against the likes of Alabama and Vanderbilt. I have a hard time seeing Memphis keeping pace and look for the Hilltoppers to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on Richmond (7:00 EST).

The 5-5 Richmond Spiders are at James Madison to take on the 1-9 Dukes and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

JMU enters off consecutive setbacks to WMU and Appalachian State. 

Richmond can emphathize of late as it’s dropped three of its last four, most recently falling to Texas Tech over the weekend.

The Spiders actually led Texas Tech by one point at half, but gave up 43 during the final 20 minutes of action. Khawn Fore had 19 points in the setback, while De’Monte Buckingham provided 16 off the bench.

The Dukes fell 73-61 to App State in OT, senior guard Jackson kent led the way with 16 points, six assists, three boards and two blocked shots. 

I’ll point out though that Richmond is 10-6 ATS in its last 16 against teams with losing records, while James Madison is just 1-6 ATS as an underdog this year and 9-15 ATS in its last 24 non-conference games.

I think Richmond is the deeper, more skilled team and look for it to do more than enough to cover this small spread. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Cornell (10:30 EST).

The 2-6 Cornell Big Red are at USC to take on the 10-0 Trojans and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

The Big Red have dropped three of their last four and I think they’ll be able to catch the home side a bit complacent here.

USC barely managed to get past Troy on Saturday and I think will also get caught “looking past” lowly Cornell today.

The Big Red had a 17 day gap between games and it was evident in the 97-78 setback to the Cowboys.

USC has the perfect record thus far despite not having top scorer Bennie Boatwright in the lineup, who will be out for another three or four weeks. Jordan McLaughlin has stepped up in his absence and is averaging 21 PPG. 

I’ll point out though that Cornell is 10-8 ATS in its last 18 when playing on one days rest, while USC is just 3-5 ATS in its last eight as a home fav of 18.5 to 24 points. 

I like the Big Red to keep this one competitive and to comfortably sneak in through the back door with the large spread they’ve been afforded tonight. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on SMU (9:00 EST).

The 7-3 Stanford Cardinal are at SMU to take on the 8-3 Mustangs and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

SMU enters with a ton of momentum and confidence and I’m expecting both to get carried over here. The Mustangs have won four straight and are a perfect 7-0 at the Moody Coliseum. 

The Cardinal have a tough task ahead of them tonight. Stanford will be leaning on junior forward Reid Travis, who averages 18.3 PPG and 9.8 boards). Stanford has played some good teams this year and its strength is on the defensive end, conceding 62.8 PPG, ranked 29th overall.

During the Mustangs’ recent win skein, the average margin of victory has been 17.8 points. Keep your eyes on Semi Ojeleye, who is averaging 17.6 points and 7.5 boards per contest. SMU is even better on the defensive end that its opponent today, allowing just 61.4 PPG, ranked 20th in the nation. 

I’ll point out that Stanford is just 3-9 ATS in its last 12 road games and only 2-5-1 ATS in its last eight following a SU win over more that 20 points, while SMU is 8-2 ATS in its last ten after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game and 6-1 ATS in its last seven in front of the home town crowd.

SMU is the bigger and more athletic team and I think should be a much bigger fav on its home floor. I’m laying the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Washington Redskins (8:30 EST).

The 5-8 Carolina Panthers are in the nation’s capital to take on the 7-5-1 Redskins and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

The Panthers have been relegated to the spoiler role, while Washington is still fighting for a Wild Card spot. Washington is primed for a big day in front of the home town crowd in my opinion after dropping two of its last three contests by single-digit margins on the road. 

Carolina will most likely be without star LB Luke Kuechly once again. Note that the Panthers have only won once on the road this year.

In last week’s home win over San Diego, Cam Newton posted an unspectacular 160 yards passing, one TD and a pick. Carolina looked pretty good defensively, but the secondary has been “hit-or-miss” all season. 

And that secondary will be tested early and often by Washington QB Kirk Cousins, who has over 4,000 yards passing this year. 

I’ll point out that Carolina is just 1-8-1 ATS in its last ten on the road, while Washington is 8-2 ATS in its last ten against teams with losing records. 

It’s do or die for the Redskins and I think Cousins will be able to easily exploit the Panthers’ third worst pass defense in the NFL. I look for the visitors go through the motions today and for the motivated home side to pull away down the stretch for the comfortable cover.

Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Eastern Michigan (7:00 EST).

The 6-4 Eastern Michigan Eagles are in Syracuse to take on the 6-4 Orange and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

EMU enters off an 82-74 road loss to Vermont, while Syracuse fell 78-71 at home to Georgetown.

The Eagles’ four-game win streak was snapped in the loss to Vermont on Saturday. EMU rallied from a 14 point deficit, but would come up short down the stretch.

The Eagles can score with the best of them so far, they average 84.8 PPG, which is ranked 22nd in the country. Willie Magnum IV has scored 17 or more points in five straight games. The defense is the weak point, conceding an average of 73.3 PPG, ranked 219th overall.

The Orange shot just 43.9 percent from the floor and were led by Tyler Lydon, who posted a career-high 29 points to go along with nine boards.

So far Syracuse averages 75.2 PPG, ranked 155th overall. The Orange though are tough on the defensive end, conceding 62.9 PPG, ranked 30th overall. 

I’ll point out that EMU is 4-1 ATS in its last five non-conference games and 4-1 ATS in its last five on the road, while Syracuse is 0-4 ATS in its last four against teams with winning records and 0-4 ATS in its last four non-conference contests.

I think the Eagles have a legitimate shot at scoring an outright upset here. Granted the Orange defense is superior, but EMU can put points on the board in a hurry. In the end I’m going to recommend grabbing as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Tulsa (2:30 EST).

Central Michigan and Tulsa get ready to battle in the Miami Beach Bowl on Monday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Golden Hurricane. 

The Chippewas are going to struggle to keep pace with Tulsa in my opinion, CMU enters this one averaging 27 PPG. The Golden Hurricane on the other hand average 41 PPG. 

It’s interesting to note that Tulsa has scored more than 31 points in every game this year, except a three-point performance in a blowout loss to Ohio State. 

Central Michigan has a decent defense, but I think it will have a hell of a time trying to slow down Tulsa RB’s D’Angelo Brewer and James Flanders, both who rushed for over 1,300 yards this year while combining for 24 TD’s. 

As Cooper Rush goes, so go the Chips. Central Michigan would back its way into the bowl season, going 5-2 to open the year, but then losing four of its final five. Over those last five games the Chips managed 17, 24, 17, 27 and 21 points. 

In his final regular seaosn game, Rush had just 256 yards with no TD’s and an INT. Rush would close the season with 13 INT’s total. 

Tulsa was 9-3 and ended the season with two straight wins. QB Dane Evans had over 3,000 yards and 27 TD’s. But as mentioned above, the run game is even better, with Flanders leading the way with 1,529 yards and 17 TD’s.

Note that the Golden Hurricane rank sixth in the country in yards per game at 523.2 YPG. 

I’ll also point out that CMU is 1-4 ATS in its last five following a SU loss, while Tulsa is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine following an ATS loss. 

This is a big mismatch and I’m expecting a rout from start to finish. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Dallas Cowboys (8:30 EST).

The 8-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in Dallas to take on the 11-2 Cowboys and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

The Bucs are poised for a letdown here after their big divisional win at home over the Saints last Sunday (16-11), while the Cowboys are primed for a bounce back after falling 10-7 on the road to the Giants on Sunday night. 

Last week’s win was Tampa’s fifth in a row. QB Jameis Winston had an unspectacular 184 yards, zero TD’s and zero INT’s. RB Doug Martin had 66 yards off 23 carries and one TD. WR Mike Evans had four catches for 42 yards. Tampa now faces two tough road games to end the year, this week in Dallas and then next Sunday in New Orleans.

It’s not too hard to imagine the visitors getting caught looking ahead to that divisional contest.

Granted the Bucs looked pretty good defensively, holding Drew Brees to 257 passing yards while also grabbing three INT’s, but those types of performances have been few and far between for Tampa this season though and now the unit will have its hands full with a determined Dak Prescott and Cowboys teams which faltered for the first time last weekend.

Prescott was just 17 of 37 for 165 yards, one TD and two INT’s. Dez Bryant had just one catch for ten yards. RB Ezekiel Elliot was the lone bright spot, finishing with 107 yards off 24 carries. The Bucs defense will be tested by the sixth ranked offensive unit which averages 26.2 PPG. 

The Cowboys continued their strong defensive play last weekend, holding Eli Manning to 193 passing yards and allowed a total of just 93 rushing yards as well. Note that Dallas concedes just 18.3 PPG, ranked fifth overall.

I’ll point out that the Bucs are just 2-3 ATS against teams with winning records this year and only 1-4 ATS off a win against a division rival, while Dallas is 4-2 ATS in its last six at home and 3-1 ATS off a divisional contest.

I like Prescott and company to bounce back at home and as mentioned off the top, in my professional opinion the table is set for a letdown for the visitors. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* NON CONF SIDE OF THE MONTH is on Michigan State (7:00 EST

MSU plays its fourth straight at home as it hosts Northeastern for the first time ever. 

You’ll want to keep your eyes on freshman guards Joshuan Langford and Cassius Winston. Langford is averaging 11.3 points, while Winston is posting 9.7 points, 9.0 assists and just 1.7 turnovers. In fact, over the last four games Winston has totaled 34 assists and just eight turnovers.

The Spartans get the job done on the defensive end, as seven of their 11 opponents this year have been held under 40 percent.

And that doesn’t bode well for the Huskies today in my opinion. Last year MSU traveled to Boston last season and defeated Northeastern 78-58 behind 17 points from Denzel Valentine. 

The Huskies come to East Lansing at 5-5 overall and in the middle of a six-game road trip in which they’ve lost three of four. TJ Williams has been a bright spot, leading the team with 21.9 PPG. 

I’ll point out though that Northeastern is just 1-2 ATS on the road already this year and just 7-11 ATS in its last 18 after allowing 60 points or less, while MSU is 15-6 ATS in its last 21 as a home fav of 12.5 points or more.

I’m expecting a similar final score as when these team’s met last year. Lay the points with confidence, play on Michigan State.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the San Diego Chargers (4:25 EST).

The 10-3 Oakland Raiders are in San Diego to take on the 5-8 Chargers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

The Raiders won six in a row before stumbling at Kansas City last Thursday and I think are poised for a letdown here as well.

Conversely, the underachieving Chargers will be hungry after consecutive losses to Tampa Bay and Carolina.

Last week Raiders’ QB Derek Carr was just 17 of 41 for 117 yards. 

The Chargers took a hit when RB Melvin Gordon went down last week, but dodged a bullet on the defensive side of the ball as rookie standout Joey Bosa does not have a concussion as initially feared. Philip Rivers and the Bolts have lost plenty of close games this year and I think will remain competitive until the end of the season.

Also note that Oakland is just 1-3 ATS this year against the division and 1-2 ATS against teams with losing records, while San Diego is 3-0 ATS in trying to revenge a loss against an opponent, 2-0 ATS after two or more consecutive losses and 4-2 ATS against teams with winning records.

This one sets up as a trap and while I would not be shocked by an upset, I’ll recommend grabbing the points. Play on the Chargers.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* NFL Week 15 Las Vegas Insider is on the Arz Cardinals at 4:05 ET.

The Cardinals went 13-3 last season and made the NFC championship game, where Carson Palmer imploded with four INTs and two fumbles, as Arizona lost 49-15 to Carolina. However, along with the Panthers (and Seahawks), the Cardinals were among the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 51. However, the season started poorly with a 23-21 home loss in Week 1 to the Pats, who played without Brady (and Gronk). The Cards have never found their ‘sea legs’ in 2016. An offense which ranked No.1 in yards per game (408.3) and second in scoring (30.6 PPG) in 2015, has averaged a more modest 363.8 YPG (10th) in 2016 and finds itself a middling 15th in scoring (23.0 PPG).

The Saints entered the season having gone 7-9 in THREE of the previous four seasons, making the postseason only in 2013 at 11-5. However, at 5-8, the Saints are all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs for the FOURTH time in the last five seasons here in 2016. New Orleans looked OK at the season’s mid-point at 4-4 but they’ve lost FOUR of their last five, beating only the Rams in that span (note: Rams have lost EIGHT of their last nine, heading into Week 15!). The Saints exploded for 49 points in beating the Rams but have averaged just 16.8 PPG in those four losses. That includes averaging just 12.0 PPG in losing their last two games, as Drew Brees has thrown SIX interceptions and not a single TD pass in those games (he’s attempted 85 passes!) Those type of results are unimaginable for Brees and while his 2016 numbers remain impressive (70.6% / 4,170 yards / 30-14 ratio / 100.7 QB rating), it’s clear that the Saints are a team in decline. The running game averages just 104.4 YPG (18th) and the defense remains among the worst in the NFL, checking 30th in points allowed at 27.0 per.

The Cards defense has fought hard all season and will come into this game ranked No. 1 in allowing just 298.5 YPG. Let me also note that Arizona’s pass D is up to the task of continuing Drew Brees’ current woes, as the Cards rank 2nd with 201.8 YPG allowed through the air. The Cardinals have allowed only just 13 TD passes through 13 games and not a single 300-yard passing game. I saw where someone wrote that Carson Palmer looked “washed-up” last week and that is probably a fair critique. Coming off a career season last year (4,671 yards / 35-11 ratio / 104.6 QB rating), Palmer has 20 TDs and 13 INTs with a QB rating of just 83.9.

However, a closer look reveals he’s got a 9-10 ratio (70.5 QB rating) in road games, while at home, he’s go 11 TDs and just three INTs with a 93.9 rating. RB David Johnson plays great home and away and enters with 1,085 rushing yards (11 TDs) plus 69 catches (10.8 YPC) and four more TDs. It’s been a deeply disappointing season for Arizona (Seattle will have likely clinched the NFC West by beating the Rams at home on Thursday) but this is Arizona’s final home game of 2016 and I expect the Saints to play the perfect foil. Arizona wins here by double digits.

Good luck...Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Philadelphia Eagles (1:00 EST). 

The 5-8 Philadelphia Eagles are at Baltimore to take on the Ravens on Sunday and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

The Eagles are just playing out their season after falling 27-22 to Washington on Sunday. Rookie QB Carson Wentz will get the call until the end of the year, last week he was a strong 32 of 46 for 314 yards, one TD and one pick. TE Zach Ertz had ten catches for 112 yards. So far Philadelphia has averaged 341.4 yards per game on offense and is conceding just 20.9 PPG, ranked 12th overall.

Baltimore was sloppy last weekend and I think it’s a sign of things to come. In all the Ravens would commit eight penalites for 47 yards and one turnover. They also made several major mistakes on special teams. QB Joe Flacco was 37 of 53 for 324 yards, two TD’s and one INT. RB Kenneth Dixon had just 39 yards on 11 carries. Flacco is an unremarkable 17 TD’s to 12 INT’s on the year. 

I’ll point out that Philadelphia is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 non-conference games (including 2-1 ATS this year), 6-4 ATS in its last ten after two or more consecutive losses and 6-2 ATS in its last eight off a loss against a conference rival, while Baltimore is 1-5 ATS in its last six as a home fav in the 3.5 to seven points range and already 0-3 ATS in non-conference contests this year.

Baltimore is still in the playoff hunt, but Wentz and company won’t be going down without a fight. They’ll also be relishing the role of spoiler. While I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can.

Play on Philadelphia.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Oregon (11:00 EST).

Oregon is 9-2 and ranked No. 22 in the country. UNLV is 6-4 and most recently bounced back for a win over lowly Incarnate Word after getting hammered by Duke 94-45. 

Oregon opened as a Top 5 team, but has since started to turn things around of late, coming into this one having won seven straight after starting the season 2-2. Chris Boucher leads the Ducks with 14.1 points and 7.8 boards per game. 

Note that three other Oregon players score in double figures too though.

Jalen Poyser leads the Rebles with 16.1 PPG, but beyond him, UNLV is fairly “thin.” 

This is simply a bad spot for UNLV, which is already just 1-2 ATS this year as an underdog. And note this is a spot in which Oregon has excelled in for bettors, going 14-8 ATS in its last 22 as a favorite and 3-2 ATS in its last five in all neutral court games.

After the slow start, I can’t see Oregon taking the foot of the gas. UNLV has already struggled against ranked teams this year and I expect this and the rest of the trends listed above to continue tonight. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmaker’s Error is on the Golden State Warriors (10:30 EST).

The 13-15 Portland Trailblazers are at Golden State to take on the 23-4 Warriors and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Warriors enter off three straight SU victories. The Blazers are trending the opposite directoin, having lost five of their last six after falling at Denver on Thursday. 

Portland has given up at least 118 points in three of its last four outings. Most recently the Blazers allowed the Nuggets to shoot better than 50 percent, while also letting Denver hit 15 of 31 from range. 

And that doesn’t bode well versus this focused Warriors team which is seemingly getting better with each game. Most recently Golden State assisted on an amazing 41 of their 45 baskets in the 103-90 win over New York. 

I’ll point out that Portland is just 4-8 ATS against teams with winning records this year and only 6-10 ATS on the road, while Golden State is 6-4 ATS this season as a home fav of 12.5 points or more and 8-5 ATS in its last 13 following a win by ten points or more.

The Blazers are playing horrible defense right now and I look for that trend to carry over here. Lay the points with confidence.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on USC (10:30 EST).

Troy comes into this one at 6-4 while No. 24 ranked USC sits at a perfect 9-0. 

Troy has won three of four, while USC is gunning for a 10-0 start. 

The Troy Trojans are led by Jordon Varnado, who averages 15.7 points, 6.5 boards and shoots 53 percent. 

After Varnado though, Troy becomes pretty thin. The USC Trojans on the other hand have five players which average in double digits, led by Elijah Stewart, who puts up 17.1 points and 5.8 boards per game.

USC has several advantages working in its favor, including some strong ATS trends, note that it’s 5-1 ATS in its last six after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game and 4-1 ATS in its last five against teams with a winning SU record.

And note that this is a spot in which Troy has struggled in for bettors, going just 5-15-2 ATS in its last 22 following a SU win and 0-4 ATS in its last four against teams with a winning percentage above .600. 

Troy may have won three straight, but it’s been over inferior competition. I think USC comes in focused on the task at hand pulls away comfortably done the stretch. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the New York Jets (8:25 EST).

The 8-5 Miami Dolphins are in New York to take on the 4-9 Jets and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

Last week New York came from behind to beat San Francisco 23-17 in OT last week, while Miami beat the Cards 26-23 at home. 

Note that the Jets play with revenge today after the Fish beat them 27-23 in Week 9. 

Miami’s win last week came at a big price though, as starting QB Ryan Tannehill went down with a knee injury and didn’t return. He’s now been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Matt Moore took over in relief and he was 3 of 5 for 47 yards. Moore has only attempted 30 passes over the last three seasons. RB Jay Ajayi has struggled over the last month and had just 48 yards off 20 carries. 

So for the Dolphins average 21.6 PPG and concede 23.2.

Bryce Petty got the start at QB last week and he’d go 23 of 35 for 257 yards, no TD’s and one INT in the Jets’ come from behind win. RB Bilal Powell had 145 yards and two TD’s. New York ranks near the bottom of the league on both sides of the ball, but it looked a lot better in all phases last week, especially on the defensive end, holding Colin Kaepernick to just 120 passing yards.

I’ll point out that Miami is just 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games played in the month of December and just 4-10 ATS in its last 14 versus the division, while New York is 7-2 ATS in its last nine contests played in December and 9-4 ATS in its last 13 against the division.

I think the loss of Tannehill is significant. I also think that Petty and the Jets looked a lot better in the second half of their victory last week and expect them to carry that momentum over here. Play on New York.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on California (8:00 EST).

The Cal Poly Mustangs are 5-5 overall and just 1-3 on the road. Cal is 8-2 overall and 7-0 at home. I’m expecting the Golden Bears’ strong home play to continue here and for Cal Poly to once again struggle away from friendly confines.

Cal averages 71 points, while Cal Poly posts 69 per game. 

The Golden Bears have a significant advantage on the defensive end though, conceding 59.9 points per contest, compared to the Mustangs 69.9. 

Cal Poly most recently fell 73-59 to Fresno State on Saturday, going just 8 of 14 from behind the arc. Donovan Fields led the way with 

 seven points, but no other Mustang scored over seven. 

After losing to Northwestern by three in Hawaii, Cal got back to its winning ways with a victory over UC Davis on Saturday. Charlie Moore led all players with 22 points. 

I’ll point out that the Cal Poly Mustangs are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven following a SU loss and interestingly, 4-12-1 ATS in their last 17 road games with a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600, while Cal is 4-1 ATS in its last five following a SU win of more than 20 points and 12-5 ATS in its last 17 following an ATS victory.

I simply can’t see the Mustangs offering much resistance to the much deeper and talented Golden Bears. The home floor advantage can’t be overlooked and neither can Cal’s superior defensive play. 

Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Camellia Bowl Las Vegas Insider is on Toledo (5:30 EST).

The 9-3 Appalachian State Mountaineers face off against the 9-3 Toledo Rockets in the Camellia Bowl on Saturday afternoon in what is a contrast in styles.

The Mountaineers feature a stingy defense, while Toledo owns a prolific offense.

For a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the high-flying Rockets.

App State finished co-champion of the Sun Belt, while Toledo fell to 55-35 to WMU in its season finale. 

The Mountaineers’ offense revolves around RB’s Jalin Moore (1,367 yards and ten TD’s) and Marcus Fox (854 yards and nine major scores). QB Taylor Lamb is average, finishing with 2,162 passying yards with 14 TD’s and eight picks. 

App State averages 29.1 PPG, but concedes just 326.5 yards per game.

But that defense is about to face a stiff test in Toledo today, which finished ranked ninth in the country in passing. QB Logan Woodside leads the nation with 43 TD passes, while RB Kareem Hunt has 1,355 yards rushing. The defense has been average, but it hasn’t needed to be great with Woodside leading the charge. 

I’ll point out that App State is 0-4 ATS following an ATS victory, while Toledo is 4-0-1 ATS in its last five against the Sun Belt. 

I think the level of competition in the MAC is much more difficult than the Sun Belt. Woodside is the correct call in this one, play on Toledo.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on LBSU (11:00 EST).

Note that this is a neutral court game, being played in Portland at the home of the Trail Blazers. 

LBSU is just 2-10 this year as it’s faced a very difficult schedule to open the season. So far the 49ers have faced Wichita State, No. 5 UNC, No. 12 Louisville, No. 16 UCLA, Pac-12 school Washington and at No. 4 Kansas. 

LBSU enters off a 71-65 loss to Texas last Saturday, blwoing a 12-point lead. Evan Payne led the charge with 26 points. 

Oregon State is just 3-7 this year. So far the Beavers have underachieved, losing to the likes of Lamar, Nevada, Tulsa, Fresno State and Charlotte. The Beavers though sunk to a new low in a 93-90 OT home loss to Savannah State. Drew Eubanks was a bright spot in the debacle, scoring 23 points, grabbing 16 boards and proving six blocks. 

I’ll point out that the 49ers are 20-13 ATS in their last 33 non-conference games, while Oregon State is just 1-7 ATS in its last eight non-conference contests.

I love LBSU here, it’s the deeper and more skilled team and has played against the absolute best/toughest in the country. The Beavers are reeling and I’d be shocked if they put up much a fight tonight. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the LA Lakers (8:05 EST).

A couple of cellar dwellers go head-to-head on Friday night and I think the visitors have the advantage in this one.

LA will be desperate, it’s all hands on deck after losing eight straight. Most recently the Lakers fell by ten at Brooklyn on Wednesday. LA held a one-point lead going into the fourth, but would fall apart late.

Lou Williams had 16 points off the bench and six players would go on to score in double digits. But it wasn’t enough, as the defense couldn’t hold up. LA has averaged 107 PPG over its last six. The defense though has given up an average of 111 PPG this season. 

Philadelphia won two straight on the road and then returned home and lost 123-114 to Toronto on Wednesday. Robert Covington had 26 points and 12 boards. 

From a trend based stand point, they don’t get much better than this though, as LA is 6-3 ATS in its last nine off an upset loss as a favorite (including 2-1 ATS this season), while Philadelphia is just 2-4 ATS this year after scoring 105 points or more.

The Lakers have actually been getting healthier on this road trip and I think the deeper team finds a way to get the job done once it’s all said and done. Play on LA.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Atlanta Hawks (7:35 EST).

The 12-13 Atlanta Hawks are in Toronto to take on the 18-7 Raptors and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

The Hawks had a two-game win streak snapped in a 131-120 setback at home to Orlando on Wednesday, while Toronto won its fourth straight and tenth out of its last 11 with a 123-114 road win at Philadelphia. 

To say this is a “revenge” game for ATL would be a bit of an understatement I think, as TO has won five of the last six in the series, including a blowout 128-84 victory in the first meeting of the season on December 3rd.

In the loss to the Magic, Hawks’ big man Dwight Howard had 20 points and 16 boards. So far Atlanta is ranked 23rd in the league in scoring at 101.6 PPG. It’s better on the defensive end, conceding 103.4 PPG, ranked 14th. Paul Milsap leads the charge with 17 points, 8.3 boards and 3.6 assists per night. 

The Raptors are third overall in scoring at 111.9 PPG and 12th in scoring defense, conceding 103 PPG. DeMar DeRozan leads the Raptors with 28 points and 5.2 boards per contest. 

Simply put, I think Atlanta is the “hungrier” and more motivated team today. It plays with revenge after getting destroyed by Toronto earlier in the month and it’s also out to atone for its lacklustre effort against the Magic. Success breeds complacency. I think the Raptors have a small mental letdown here and leave the back door open just wide enough for Atlanta to sneak in through down the stretch. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* NON-CONFERENCE SIDE OF THE MONTH is on the Golden State Warriors (10:35 EST). 

The 14-11 New York Knicks are in Golden State to take on the 22-4 Warriors and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Warriors bounced back from a loss at Memphis to win their last two games, over Minnesota and New Orleans respectively. 

New York had won six of seven before an OT loss in Phoenix on Tuesday and suffice it to say, I’m expecting another letdown here. Momentum is difficult to attain and once lost, is even harder to get back.

I’ll point out that New York is just 1-3 ATS in its last four on the road and only 1-4 ATS in its last five as an underdog, while Golden State is 12-8 ATS this year after scoring 105 points or more and 6-3 ATS this season as a home fav of 12.5 points or more.

It’s a tough road trip for New York, with a game in Denver on Saturday and it’s not too hard to imagine the team getting caught looking ahead. 

Conversely, after a somewhat difficult five-game road trip behind them, I’m expecting the Warriors to come out fired up in the opener of a three-game home stand. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Seattle Seahawks (8:25 EST).

The 4-9 LA Rams are in Seattle to take on the 8-4-1 Seahawks and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. LA is in dissary after firing head coach Jeff Fisher, who was let go after the team lost its fourth straight and eighth in its last nine. 

Most recently the Rams were hammered 42-14 at home by Atlanta. 

Seattle is looking to bounce back after a 38-10 defeat at snowy Lambeau last weekend and it’ll also be out to atone for a 9-3 loss to LA back on September 18th. 

The Hawks have caught LA at the most opportune of times, as note that the Rams have been outscored 117-45 in their last three games. 

Rams’ rookie QB Jared Goff has now completed just 55.1 percent of his passs for 744 yards, four TD’s and five picks. RB Todd Gurley has taken a major step back in his second year, having just 740 rushing yards and five TD’s on 3.3 yards per carry.

Russell WIlson struggled last week in Green Bay, going 22 of 39 for 240 yards, one TD and a career high five INT’s. At 8-4-1 though, the Seahawks are looking pretty good in the NFC West and they’ll now look to return to form in front of the home town crowd.

Note that Seattle still ranks among the best in the league on the defensive end, conceding just 17.8 PPG

I’ll point out that LA is just 4-7 ATS in its last 11 after two or more consecutive SU losses, while Seattle is 3-0 ATS in its last three “Thursday Night” games and 2-1 ATS in its last three in trying to revenge a loss against an opponent.

I expect Wilson and the Hawks to bounce back in a big way and think that LA struggles with consistency on both sides of the ball and in the coaching transition. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmaker’s Error is on Murray State (8:00 EST).

The 5-5 Murray State Racers are in Ole Miss to take on the 6-3 Rebels and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

The Racers are 5-5 and have won three of their last five, alternating wins and losses in that time. Most recently MSU scored a 103-65 win over Bethel. Nine players would go on to score and six made it to double figures. 

The Rebels have also alternated wins and and losses over their last six games. Most recently Ole Miss played at Virginia Tech on Sunday and lost 80-75. Deandre Burnett leads Ole Miss with 20.0 PPG.

MSU has dropped five tough non-conference road games this year, at MTSU, Bowling Green, Southern Illinois and Evansville respectively, but I think has a legitimate shot at an upset today.

The bottom line is that I think the Racers match up extremely well against Ole Miss. And note that the Rebels are just 1-4 ATS at home this year and just 6-11 ATS in their last 17 after allowing 80 points or more.

Additionally note that Murray State is 4-2 ATS in its last six as a road dog of 6.5 to nine points and 4-2 ATS in its last six against poor defensive teams which allow 77 plus points per contest.

I think this one will be a lot more competitive than what Las Vegas is leading us to believe. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Nevada (10:00 EST).

Cal Irvine has had a difficult opening schedule, with a 75-65 OT loss at then-No. 25 California, a 79-57 setback at No. 20 Arizona and then on Sunday it fell 84-53 at No. 12 Saint Mary’s. 

The Anteaters would allow Saint Mary’s to shoot 64 percent in the second half. UCI is one of the countries worst offensive teams in averaging just 61.8 PPG. But it gets the job done defensively as it concedes just 65.4 PPG. Jaron Martin is a stand out, he leads the team with 12.5 PPG and 3.3 APG.

The Wolf Pack enter off an upset 87-85 win at Washington on Sunday and I expect the team to carry that momentum over into a big effort tonight. Marcus Marshall led the way with 32 points in the latest victory, including hitting a 15-foot runner with time running off the clock to seal the deal. Note that Nevada was pretty good from the foul line, going 22 of 29. 

And I’ll point out that the Anteaters are just 3-7 ATS in their last ten against teams with a win percentage above .600, while the Wolf Pack are 8-1-1 ATS in their last ten following an ATS vicotry and 11-3-2 ATS in their last 16 non-conference games.

Nevada averages almost 80 PPG and I simply can’t see the offensively challenged Anteaters keeping pace down the stretch. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Sacramento Kings (8:05 EST).

Sacramento has won two of its last four, including a 116-92 victory over the Lakers on Monday. Houston enters off a 122-118 win over the Nets on Monday and is poised for a letdown here after posting its seventh win in a row. 

The Kings would hold the Lakers to just 39 percent from the field and were led by DeMarcus Cousins, who had 31 points, 16 boards, five assists, three blocks and two steals. 

Houston looked poor defensively against the Nets, allowing Brooklyn to shoot 52 percent from the field. James Harden was two rebounds away from a triple-double. 

I’ll point out that Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last five against teams with a winning percentage above .600 and 3-1-1 ATS in its last five against the Southwest division, while Houston is just 16-23 ATS in its last 39 after three or more consecutive SU victories.

Cousins is a man possessed right now and I think he and the Kings can keep this one competitive in facing the Rockets poor defense. Grab as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Philadelphia 76ers (7:05 EST).

The 17-7 Toronto Raptors are in Philadelphia to take on the 6-18 76ers and for a number of different reasons I think this one favors the home side.

I believe the high-flying Raptors “look past” the lowly 76ers tonight. Toronto comes in have won three straight and nine of its last ten after besting the Bucks 122-100 at home on Monday. I had the Raptors in that one. The only loss during that stretch came at home to the Cavaliers and I had a play on Cleveland in that particular contest.

Note that Toronto ranks among the best on the offensive end, averaging 111.5 PPG, but defensively it’s middle of the pack, allowing 102.6.

Philadelphia comes in with a ton of momentum after winning back-to-back road games. In their most recent win over the Pistons, the 76ers held a 42-34 edge on the boards. Robert Convington led the way with 16 points to lead six other players in double figures.

I’ll point out that the Raptors are just 4-6 ATS in their last ten as a road fav in the 6.5 to nine points range, while Philadelphia is 3-1 ATS in its last four as a home dog in the same points range.

For all of the reasons mentioned above, I’m backing the home side in this matchup. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Eastern Washington (9:05 EST).

The 2-6 Morehead State Eagles are at Eastern Washington to take on the 7-2 Eagles and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Eastern Washington has won six in a row and is average 79.9 PPG, while allowing 83.1. Bigdan Bliznyuk leads EWU with 21.4 points and 6.9 boards per game. 

Morehead State comes in on the opposite end of the spectrum, having lost six straight. The Eagles average 72 PPG and allow 82.4. Xavier Moon has been a standout, leading the team with 12.9 PPG. 

I’ll point out that EWU is 4-0 ATS in its last four at home and 8-3 ATS in its last 11 following a SU victory, while Morehead State is 0-3-2 in its last five ATS following a SU loss and 0-4-2 ATS in its last six road contests.

I have no faith in Morehead State right now and think this line is a little light. I’m backing the home side, play on Eastern Washington.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 EST).

The 6-18 Minnesota Timberwolves are in Chicago to take on the 13-10 Bulls and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

I believe the Wolves will be the “hungrier” team today, they enter off their fourth straight loss, most recently a hard-fought 116-108 home setback to the Warriors on Friday. 

Chicago on the other hand looks poised for a letdown here after winning its second straight, this time a 105-100 victory over Miami on Saturday. 

But if recent history is any precedence, then the visitors have to be loving their chances for an outright victory today as they’d take both meetings last year, including a 112-105 win in the last matchup on February 6th, 2016 in Chicago.

Minnesota will be especially motivated after letting a late lead slip away in the fourth quarter against Golden State. Note that Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine each had 25 points in the setback.

Chicago got 31 points, seven boards, five assists and three steals from Jimmy Butler in the win over Miami. 

I’ll point out that Minnesota is 4-1 ATS this year after three more consecutive SU losses, while Chicago is just 4-6 ATS in its last ten against teams with losing records. 

With two nights off before a home-and-home set with Milwaukee, I think the home side comes in a bit complacent here. Conversely, the hungry Wolves are desperate to break the slide and while I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on the Wolves.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Portland Trailblazers (10:30 EST).

The 12-13 Portland Trail Blazers are in LA to take on the 17-7 Clippers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

I think Portland, which has dropped three straight, will be the “hungrier” team today and am expecting that determination to at the very least, lead to a solid cover for the visitors tonight. 

LA broke a three-game slide with a blowout win over New Orleans on Saturday. 

Portland will be especially motivated here after letting sizeable fourth quarter leads slip away, most recently a disappointing setback to the Pacers: “This wasn’t a normal loss,” Blazers guard C.J. McCollum said after. “We’ve had a lot of these games we should win, games we’re up double digits and they make more plays than us down the stretch, they make more hustle plays. They make aggressive moves toward the basket, they get fouls. They finish the game and we don’t.”

LA blew out the Hornets and Chris Paul led the way with 20 points, 20 assists and zero turnovers. 

But with a three game road trip on the horizon, I think the Clippers get caught “looking ahead.” 

And I’ll point out that Portland is 3-1 ATS in its last four after three consecutive SU losses, while LA is just 6-17 ATS in its last 24 as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points.

While I won’t be so bold as to call for an outright upset, I do definitely think this is too many points to be giving up. Play on Portland.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the New England Patriots (8:30 EST).

The 7-5 Baltimore Ravens are in New England to take on the 10-2 Patriots and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Baltimore has won two straight, most recenlty crushing Miami last weekend. QB Joe Flacco had four TD’s and 381 passying yards. Beating Ryan Tannehill and the Fish is one thing, imposing your will over Tom Brady and the No. 6 ranked offense in total yards gained is entirely another though. 

Last week Brady became the all-time winningest QB in the NFL in his team’s 26-10 win over the Rams last week. Malcolm Mitchell and Julian Edelman combined for 16 catches and 183 yards. 

From a trend based stand point, this one sets up perfectly for the home side, as I’ll point out that Baltimore is 0-4 ATS in its last four on the road, while New England is interestingly 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in its previous contest.

Baltimore has done well at home and struggled on the road. I think that trend continues here. After already getting thumped at home by the Seahawks on national TV, I expect Bill Belichick to have his troops focused tonight. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Brooklyn Nets (8:00 EST).

The 6-16 Brooklyn Nets are in Houston to take on the 17-7 Rockets and for a number of different reasons I think this one favors the visitors.

The Nets lost for the 11th time in their last 13 in a 130-101 setback at San Antonio on Saturday. The Rockets though looked poised for a letdown here after six straight wins, most recently a 109-87 victory at home over Dallas. 

Brooklyn can score with the best of them, it averages 106 PPG, which is ranked a respectable tenth in the league. Where the team lacks severely is on the defensive end, ranked dead last in conceding an average of 114.9 PPG. Brook Lopez leads the way with 19.8 points a night.

Houston ranks second in the league in scoring with 111.6 PPG and is 18th in scoring defense in allowing 105.7 PPG. James Harden leads the team with 27.8 PPG, 7.6 boards and 11.6 assists per night. 

Note though that Brooklyn is 3-1 ATS in its last four as an underdog, while Houston is just 15-26 ATS in its last 41 following a divisional contest.

I think the Rockets come into this one complacent and the high-scoring Nets keep this one close enough to comfortably sneak in through the backdoor down the stretch. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Toronto Raptors (7:30 EST).

The 11-11 Milwaukee Bucks are in Toronto to take on the 16-7 Raptors and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. These teams come in trending in opposite directions, as the Bucks have lost two straight, most recently a 110-105 setback at Washington, while the Raptors won their second straight and eight in their last nine with a 101-94 road victory in Boston on Friday. 

If recent history is any precedence, then Toronto has to be liking its chances today as it’s won five straight in the series, including a 105-99 win in the first meeting this year on November 25th. 

Milwaukee is led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, with 21.9 points, nine boards, 5.9 assists, 1.95 steals and 2.14 blocks. The Bucks though are ranked 16th overall offensively with 104.2 PPG. They’re a bit better on the defensive end, ranked 13th overall in conceding 102.7 PPG. 

The only loss in the Raptors current run has come against the Cavaliers last week (I had Cleveland in that one). Note that Toronto is fourth in the league in scoring with a 111 points per game average, while the Raptors clock in at 12th on the defensive end, giving up 102.7 PPG. 

I’ll point out that the Bucks are 0-5 ATS in their last five road games against a team with a winning home record, while Toronto is 4-0 ATS in its last four home games against a team with a road win percentage of less than .400 and a perfect 4-0 ATS in its last four when playing on two days of rest. 

Milwaukee is out of gas right now, it blew a 20 point half time lead in losing to Atlanta at home on Friday and then stumbled on the road in Washington. I think the home side takes full advantage and keeps the foot on the gas from start to finish. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the LA Lakers (9:35 EST).

The 13-10 New York Knicks are in Los Angeles to take on the 10-15 Lakers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Knicks are poised for a letdown in my opinion after winning five of their last six, most recently a 103-100 victory on the road in Sacramento. 

Conversely, the Lakers will be risking life and limb tonight to get back into the win column after droping five straight, most recently a 119-115 home setback to Phoenix on Friday. 

New York is 15th in the league in scoring (104.2) and tied for 23rd in scoring defense (106.9). 

LA is 11th in the NBA in scoring (104.9) and 27th in scoring defense (110.7). 

I’ll point out though that New York is just 1-3 ATS in its last four on the road, while LA is 2-0 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite.

I think from a situational stand point, they don’t get much better than this. Despite injuries to some key players, I think the “hungrier” team gets the job done ATS tonight. Play on LA.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmaker’s Error is on Washington (8:00 EST).

The 7-2 Nevada Wolf Pack are in Washington to take on the 4-4 Huskies and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

The Wolf Pack most recently handled Bradley 91-69, while the Huskies come in off a humbling 98-71 setback at Gonzaga. 

Nevada wasn’t really tested last time out, but I think it will be today against this determined home side. The Wolf Pack are 87th in the country in scoring at 78.4 PPG and at the defensive end they’re ranked 148th in points allowing, giving up 70.0 PPG thus far. 

Washignton has struggled with consistency from game to game, but it does have seven players that average at least 6.1 PPG, led by Markelle Fultz, who contributes 23.0 PPG, which is ranked 11th in the nation. 

The Huskies can score with the best of them, averging 86 PPG, which ranks 18th in the country. That offense has had to be good, because they’ve given up an average of 82.0 PPG to this point.

I’ll point out that the Wolf Pack are just 18-22 ATS in their last 40 when playing the role of underdog and only 13-17 ATS in their last 30 road games, while Washington is a perfect 4-0 ATS in its last four as a home fav in the 3.5 to six points range and 5-2 ATS in its last seven after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games.

The Huskies have the home court advantage and are the “hungrier” team. I think Washington’s defense finally shows up today and the home side pulls away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Green Bay Packers (4:25 EST).

The 8-3-1 Seattle Seahawks are in Green Bay to take on the 6-6 Packers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

Green Bay has won two straight, most recently a hard-fought 21-13 victory over the Texans. Seattle has been playing well and would crush Carolina 40-7 last week. 

After only scoring five points in Week 12 against Tampa Bay, the Seahawks looked much better against Carolina, led by QB Russell Wilson who was 26 of 36 for 277 yards and a TD. Seattle though is poised for a letdown as it’s already wrapped up the NFC West, sitting 3.5 games ahead of Arizona. 

Note that the Hawks average just 22 PPG, ranked 20th overall. The strength of the team lays on the defensive side of the ball as the unit concedes just 16.2 PPG, ranked No. 1 in the league.

Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers had 209 yards and two TD’s in the snowy conditions last week. So far he has 29 TD’s to just seven INT’s. WR Jordy Nelson was a standout with 118 yards and a TD. 

Note that the Packers average 24.6 PPG, ranked tenth overall. The defense has been a weak point for Green Bay, the unit concedes 25.2 PPG. But that said, there’s no question that the Packers looked a lot better last week, holding Texans’ RB Lamar Miller to just 22 rushing yards (note that the defense has in fact allowed just 13 points in each of the last two games).

I’ll point out that Seattle is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four against Green Bay, while the Packers are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.

I think Seattle comes in a bit complacent here after the big home win, while Rodgers and company once again take advantage of familiar surroundings. While I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by the outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing as many points as you can. Play on the Packers.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the LA Rams (4:25 EST).

The 7-5 Atlanta Falcons are in LA to take on the 4-8 Rams and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

LA has lost seven of its last eight, but hasn’t thrown in the towel yet, most recently falling to New England.

Atlanta is just 3-4 after a 4-1 start and is most recently coming off a frustrating 29-28 home loss to KC last weekend. 

The Falcons have to be especially deflated after last week’s setback, as after erasing a double-digit deficit to take a 28-27 lead, Chiefs’ safety Eric Bery intercepted the ensuing two-point conversion and returned it for the improbable 29-28 victory.

The Rams were in over their heads last week, posting only 25 yards in the first half, before then recovering in the second to make it look somewhat respectable. Jared Goff has now completed 51 of 95 attempts for 509 yards, four TD’s and three INT’s. But thankfully for Goff and the home side, they’re going up against Atlanta’s atrocious secondary today. Goff and company did put up three TD’s against the Saints a couple weeks back, so should also have plenty of opportunity to move the ball today as well.

I’ll point out that Atlanta is just 5-17 ATS in its last 22 as a favorite (including only 2-4 ATS this season), while LA is 3-1 ATS in its last four as a home dog of 3.5 to seven points.

While I wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I’m going to recommend grabbing the points as I look for Goff to play much better in friendlier confines. 

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the New York Jets (4:05 EST).

The 3-9 New York Jets are in San Francisco to take on the 1-11 49ers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Last week San Francisco fell 26-6 at Chicago, while New York was trounced 41-10 by Indianapolis on Monday night (note that I had the Colts in that one). 

Jets’ QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was only five of 12 for 81 yards, no TD’s and one INT last week. Bryce Petty came on in relief and he’d go 11 of 25 for 135 yards, one TD and two INT’s. Petty has been given the green light for the final four games of the season and looked a lot better than Fitzpatrick, despite the two picks. 

San Francisco’s QB situation is much worse though. Colin Kaepernick was benched during the fourth quarter last week after completing one of five passes for four yards. Blaine Gabbert came in in relief and was 4 of 10 for 35 yards. 

I’ll point out that New York is interestingly 6-2 ATS in its last eight games played in the month of December, while San Francisco is just 1-4 ATS this year against teams with losing records and just 8-14 ATS in its last 22 in front of the home town crowd.

I think that Petty is better than either Gabbert or Kaepernick and believe that’s going to be the difference in end between these two cellar dwellers. Play on New York.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* NFL Week Las Vegas Insider is on the Was Redskins at 1:00 ET.

Philadelphia’s 3-0 SU & ATS start has been put in the ‘rearview mirror,’ as the Eagles are 2-7 in their last nine games, failing to cover any of those seven losses. The Redskins opened 0-2 but then won four in a row. However, Washington is just 2-3-1 over its last six games and at 6-5-1, sits seventh in the NFC, when only six teams make the postseason. These NFC East rivals meet for the second time on Sunday,  with Washington winning 27-20 at home back in Week 6. However, the game was not as close as the final score, as the Redskins outgained the Eagles, 493-239 in total yards.

The Eagles have currently turned into a bottom-six NFL team, done in by weak skill position players, made even weaker by key injuries and a defense which, after a strong start, has allowed 26 points or more in FIVE of the last six games. Rookie QB  Carson Wentz averaged 256.3 YPG through the air with five TDs and zero INTs as the Eagles opened 3-0. He had a 7-1 TD-to-INT ratio through five games but over the last seven, has just five TD passes and 10 INTs, earning a QB rating below 76.0 in FIVE of those seven games (it’s just 80.1 for the year). His best WR, Jordan Matthews (57 catches / 686 yards) has ankle issues and missed last week’s game (remains questionable for this one) and leading rusher Ryan Matthews has missed two straight games with a knee issue (is also questionable for this one).

The Redskins won the division last year and may be a better team in 2016 but the problem is, the Cowboys have been the NFL’s best team in 2016 at 11-1 and the vastly improved Giants are 8-3. QB Cousins has proven doubters wrong, as he’s completing 67.5% and his 309.1 YPG through tyeh air ranks 2nd in the NFL (21-8 ratio for a QB rating of 99.6).  Washington owns a deep group of receivers, as Cousins has targets like DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon,  Jamison Crowder and Vernon Davis. It’s an added bonus if star TE Jordan Reed can play after missing last Sunday with a shoulder injury. Note that the Eagles have only six sacks in their last six games and the team's battered secondary has permitted multiple TD passes in SEVEN of their last nine games.

Washington’s defense is mediocre at best (24.6 PPG to rank 20th) but the Philly offense has scored 15, 13 and 14 points the last three weeks! The Eagles have ‘hit a wall’ but Washington is still very much alive for a playoff berth. A win here and Washington faces the crumbling 4-8 Panthers and the sad-sack 3-9 Bears the next two weeks. A win here could be the first of a three-game winning streak which would put Washington at 9-5-1 heading into a Week 17 game with the Giants. Not getting ahead of myself but Washington (8-2 ATS in its last 10!) earns a top-rating of 10*s in this Week 14 game.

Good luck...Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Pacific (10:30 EST).

Pacifc faces Rider in the fifth annual Gotham Classic in the Stockton Arena tonight and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Tigers. 

Rider is 4-3 so far, while Pacific is 3-5. 

The Tigers will be especially motivated here after dropping to 0-1 in the tournament following a listless 72-48 setback at UMass on Thursday. Note though that Pacific is 3-0 in Stockton following a defeat and has won by an average of 14 points per game (also note that the Tigers are 4-2 in their last six following a loss). 

It’s also interesting to note that Pacific’s five losses have come against opponents with a combined 30-15 record. 

Pacific has won the battle on the offensive glass in seven of eight games this season. The Tigers outrebounded UMass on the offensive boards 11-2 on Dec. 8.

Rider has struggled in this spot for bettors, going just 1-8 ATS in its last nine neutral court games and just 6-10 ATS in non-conference contests, while Pacific has excelled, going 7-5 ATS in its last 12 after scoring 60 points or less.

I’m banking on Pacific to ride the wave of emotion from the local crowd and to bounce back in fine fashion after its last dud. Play on the Tigers.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on New Mexico State (9:30 EST).

No need to overthink this one in my opinion, as NMSU plays with revenge tonight after falling to New Mexico in the first installment in the Battle of I-25. 

The Lobos beat the Aggies 72-59 on November 18th. Now it’s payback time!

Last time out NM State continued its hot home run by beating LBSU 93-85. Braxton Huggins had a game-high 26 points. In fact, four of the Aggies’ five starters would go on to score double figures. NM State has now won 15 in a row at home dating back to last season. 

Note that Eli Chuha finished with a career-high 19 points and seven boards. 

New Mexico comes in off a nail-biting 78-77 win over UTEP as an 11-point favorite and I think is poised for a letdown here. Note that the Lobos are just 1-2 ATS as an underdog this year, while the Aggies are 2-0 ATS in their last two after allowing 80 points or more and 4-1 ATS in their last five after scoring 80 points or more.

I’m laying the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the San Antonio Spurs (8:35 EST).

The 6-15 Brooklyn Nets are in San Antonio to take on the 18-5 Spurs and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Brooklyn enters off a home win over Denver, but has yet to win two games in a row this season. San Antonio’s four-game win skein ended in a loss at Chicago on Thursday, so any sort of a “letdown” in its first game back home has been nullified.

Brooklyn is in a rebuilding mode, so the pressure is off coach Kenny Atkinson, who has been tasked to build the team from the ground up.

San Antonio on the other hand is coming off its first road loss of the year, coming one victory away from matching the league’s best-ever road start. 

I’ll point out that Brooklyn is just 1-3-1 ATS in its last five road games and only 2-9-1 ATS in its last 12 road games against teams with winning home records, while San Antonio is 14-9 ATS in its last 23 after playing three consecutive road games.

Spurs coach Greg Popovich unloaded on his team after the loss to the Bulls: “We haven’t learned as a group that the game is 48 minutes,” Popovich said during his tirade. 

I think San Antonio bounces back here and steamrolls the lowly Nets. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on UCLA (8:00 EST).

The 7-2 Michigan Wolverines are at UCLA to take on the 9-0 Bruins and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

ULCA comes in off a momentum building and season defining 97-92 win at Kentucky last weekend, while Michigan comes in off consecutive victories, most recently over Texas.

The Wolverines had to hold on for dear life in the 53-50 win over the Longhorns though, making only seven shots in the second half, including just two in the final seven minutes of the game. Co-captains Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr. combined for only 10 points.

And that kind of pathetic play just isn’t going to get the job done against the red hot Bruins, who are off to their best start since 2006. Six different players scored in double-figures last week, led by Isaac Hamilton’s 19 points. 

I’ll point out that the Wolverines are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven non-conference games and only 2-6 ATS in their last eight following a SU victory, while UCLA is 5-0 ATS its last five at home and 4-0 ATS in their last four against teams with winning records.

Michigan has a good defense, but its inconsistent offensive play will be its downfall today. ULCA is playing at an extremely high level right now and getting tremendous production up and down the lineup. Lay the points with confidence.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Navy (3:00 EST).

The 6-5 Army Black Knights get ready to battle the 9-3 Midshipmen in the annual rivalry game from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors Navy.

Army routed Morgan State 60-3 in its last action (over three weeks ago), while Navy lost 34-10 to Temple last weekend. If history is any precedence, then the Midshipmen have to be liking their chances today in a big bounce back effort as they’ve won every game in this series since 2002. 

Army likes to run the ball alot, so junior QB Ahmad Bradshaw isn’t asked to do too much. The Black Knights average 30 PPG, ranked 62nd overall in the FBS. The defense has been very good as well, conceding an average of 19.1 PPG, ranked 14th. Note that Andy Davidson has 818 rushing yards.

Navy fell to Temple in the AAC Title game, as starting QB Will Worth was injured early and backup Zach Abbey would go just 7 of 13 for 104 yards. Abbey though had 70 yards rushing and a major score.

Note that despite the unfortunate setback, the Midshipmen average 39.1 PPG, ranked 18th in the country. The defense concedes 30.4 PPG, ranked 82nd overall. 

I’ll point out though that Army is just 2-3 ATS in its last five when playing with two or more weeks of rest, while Navy is 5-2 ATS as a favorite this year and 9-4 ATS in its last 13 as a favorite in the 3.5 to ten points range.

With a full week off to prepare, I’m expecting Abbey to have a much better performance for the high-flying Midshipmen. Army’s inconsistent QB play comes back to haunt it today, I’m laying the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* NON-CONFERENCE BLOWOUT SIDE OF THE MONTH is on the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas has been a disaster this year, it’s just 4-17 overall and has lost two in a row. Indiana is 11-11 and has also struggled with consistency on both ends of the court this season. 

Indiana looks poised for a letdown here though after earning a road victory over the lowly Suns on Wednesday. Paul George had 25 points in the win.

Note though that the Pacers are near the bottom of the league in scoring defense, conceding 107.3 PPG, ranked sixth worst overall. 

Dallas enters off an embarrasing 120-89 blowout loss at home to Sacramento. I had the Kings in that one. The Mavs are among the league worst in most offensive and defensive categories and I won’t try to convince you that they’re a decent team which has just caught a few bad breaks, as that’s not the case. Dallas is a poor team.

But Indiana is not a “good” team either. It’s shown flashes every now and then, but overall it’s been consistently inconsistent.

I simply think this sets up as a classic “letdown/look-ahead” spot for the visitors, who play the final game of a five-game road trip, before then heading home for a contest tomorrow night against Portland.

I’ll also point out that Indiana is already just 4-7 ATS this year after scoring 105 points or more, while Dallas is interestingly, 4-2 ATS in its last six against the Central division.

A great situational play, grab as many points as you can.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Kansas City Chiefs (8:25 EST). 

Last week the Vikes and Cowboys went down to the wire on Thursday night and all signs point to another close one this week, but for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side. 

The short week is tough at this time of year and it’s twice as hard for the visiting side. At 10-2, Oakland is looking tie up home-field advantage through the playoffs still, but I think it’s going to finally have a letdown here in this tough atmosphere on the national stage. 

Oakland most recently beat Buffalo 38-24 on Sunday as QB Derek Carr had 260 yards and two scores. RB Latavius Muarry had 20 rushes for 82 yards and two TD’s. 

Note though that it was the team’s sixth fourth-quarter comeback of the season. 

I think Kansas City is the “hungrier” team today, it’s a game behind Oakland in the AFC West. The Chiefs come in with plenty of momentum, most recently off an OT win in Denver and a victory at Atlanta last week. 

Note that the Chiefs are hopeful that standout WR Jeremy Maclin will return this week after sitting the last four with a groin injury.

I’ll point out that Oakland is just 1-2 ATS this year versus division opponents and 0-1 ATS in trying to revenge a loss against an opponent, while KC is 3-1 ATS against teams with winning records this season and 2-1 ATS against the division.

A major advantage working in favor of the Chiefs tonight is the weather, as it’s expected to be -8 Celsius or less in Kansas City on Thursday. Oakland isn’t used to performing in those types of conditions. 

I’m laying the points and expecting the home side to find a way to get the job done once it’s all said and done.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on the Washington Wizards (7:00 EST).

The 8-14 Denver Nuggets are in Washington to take on the 7-13 Wizards and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

No need to overthink this one I don’t think. Washington has lost three of its last four after falling 124-116 at home to the Magic on Tuesday and is clearly hungry for a victory. The home side also plays with double revenge after dropping both games to the Nuggets last year, including a 117-113 setback in Washington on January 28th, 2016.

But if all of those motivational and situational factors weren’t enough, Denver comes into this one having also played just last night in Brooklyn, losing 116-111. Clearly the Nuggets are going to be “gassed.”

I’ll also point out that Denver is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven when playing on back-to-back days, while Washington is 3-1 ATS in its last four as a home fav in the 3.5 to six points range.

This is in fact the Nuggets third road game in the last four nights. The Wizards have had a day off to look at themselves in the mirror and must take advantage of this situation. And that’s exactly what I expect them to do, lay the points with confidence.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Sacramento Kings (8:30 EST).

The Kings are looking to snap a three-game slide and a date against the lowly, undermanned Mavs is just what the doctor ordered to get off the schneid. 

Sacramento most recently fell 106-98 to New York on Sunday. DeMarcus Cousins had 36 points and 12 boards. 

Dallas fell 109-101 to Charlotte on Monday and lost center Andrew Bogut to a knee injury in the process. Dallas would go on to get outrebounded 55-35. Harrison Barnes was a bright spot, finishing with 29 points. Dirk Nowitzki missed his fifth straight game, while JJ Barea missed his tenth in a row. 

I’ll point out that Sacramento is 4-0 ATS in its last four following an ATS loss and 7-1 ATS in its last eight after a SU loss, while Dallas is 0-4 ATS in its last four after scoring 100 points or more in its previous contest.

The Kings averaged 116.3 points in taking three of four in this series last year and I’m expecting a similar blowout tonight. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Cleveland Cavaliers (8:00 EST).

The 14-5 Cleveland Cavaliers are in New York to take on the 11-9 Knicks and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. The Cavs come in with momentum after beating the Raptors 116-112 on the road on Monday, the victory would snap a three-game slide. 

New York on the other hand comes in off a very satisfying 114-103 victory in Miami just last night and suffice it to say, I’m expecting a predictable letdown here.

If recent history is any precedence, then the Cavs have to be loving their chances today as when these teams met on October 25th, Cleveland would come away with an easy 117-88 victory.

Last time out it was LeBron James that led the way for Cleveland, pouring in 34 points, grabbing eight boards and dishing out seven assists. Note that Cleveland is fourth in the NBA in scoring at 110.3 PPG. The Cavs rank in the middle of the pack defensively, conceding an average of 105.1 PPG. Kyrie Irving leads all players with 24.4 PPG. Also note that Cleveland is second in the league in made threes with 13.4 triples per game.

New York is tied for 15th in scoring at 104.3 PPG and is 22nd in scoring defense, conceding an average of 106.4 PPG. 

I’ll point out that Cleveland is 8-5 ATS in its last 13 off an upset win as an underdog, while New York is just 6-8 ATS as an underdog this season.

I think the Cavs build off their last performance and catch the Knicks a little flat-footed as they come in tired on the second game of the back-to-back. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Portland Trailblazers (8:00 EST).

While I obviously would not be shocked by an outright upset, I will in the end recommend grabbing the points as I expect the visitors to at the very least, take this one down to the wire.

The Blazers come in having won three in a row. The Bucks have been trading good performances with bad all year and are floating right around .500 right now. 

Last time out Portland scored a 112-110 win on the road in Chicago on Monday night. Guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 54 points. The Blazers average 110.3 PPG, which is tied for fourth most in the league. Note that Portland has put up almost 117 PPG over a six-game stretch. 

Milwaukee on the other hand comes into this one deflated after letting a 48-35 lead at halftime against the Spurs go to waste, eventually succumbing 97-96. Milwaukee ranks as one of the best defensively, giving up an average of just 101.5 PPG, which ranks in the top ten. The Bucks though have struggled with offensive consistency from game to game.

I’ll point out that Portland is 19-9 ATS in its last 28 off an upset win as an underdog, while Milwaukee is just 3-4 ATS as a favorite this year and only 2-4 ATS after a non-conference game. 

I think the visitors build off their latest victory, while Milwaukee takes a step back after its crushing defeat to San Antonio. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Kentucky (8:00 EST).

The 7-1 Valparaiso Crusaders are at Kentucky to take on the 7-1 Wildcats and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Crusaders are led by 6-foot-9 forward Alec Peters, who is posting 25.4 points and 9.4 boards per game. Peters ranks top 10 in the country in many offensive categories.

Kentucky comes into this one highly motivated after dropping its first of the year, falling 97-92 to UCLA. Bam Adebayo was a bright spot with 18 points and 13 boards. 

I’ll point out that Valparaiso has struggled in this spot for bettors for a while now though, just 3-8 ATS in its last 11 non-conference games, while Kentucky has done well by going 5-2 ATS in non-conference games this season and 5-2 ATS when playing the role of favorite.

Despite the setback last time out, the Wildcats have scored more than 100 points in three of their last four. I’m expecting that strong scoring trend to continue tonight and look for Kentucky to bounce back with a convincing effort. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Butler (7:00 EST)

The 8-0 Butler Bulldogs are at the 4-4 Indiana State Sycamores on Wednesday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

The Bulldogs are ranked in the Top 25 after eight straight victories and are likely still feeling a little disrespected. 

Butler is winning by an average of 18.5 PPG and is led by upperclassmen Kelan Martin (18.1 PPG and 4.3 boards) and Andrew Chrabascz (10 PPG and 5.6 boards). 

So far the Bulldogs average 78.9 PPG, while conceding just 60.4. 

Indiana State has won two straight, most recently a harder than expected 62-61 win at Utah State. Suffice it to say, I think the home side is going to falter tonight. 

The Sycamores average 73.6 PPG and concede 67.5. 

I’ll point out that Butler is 5-2 ATS as a favorite this year and 5-2 ATS in non-conference games, while Indiana State is interestingly just 1-3 ATS in its last four against the Big East.

The Bulldogs are playing with a chip on their collective shoulders right now and I don’t foresee the team “looking past” the potentially dangerous Sycamores. I’m expecting Butler to jump out to an early lead and to keep the foot on the gas until the final horn. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Louisville (7:00 EST).

The 5-3 Southern Illinois Salukis are in Louisville, Kentucky to take on the 7-1 Cardinals and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Both teams come into this one having won two in a row.

Southern Illinois shot 48 percent to beat Texas Southern last time out. Defenisvely the Salukis looked poor though, conceding 52.9 percent shooting, including 36 percent from range. They were also outrebounded by ten. Armon Fletcher was a standout with 18 points.

Southern Illinois averages 76.6 PPG, while conceding 74.6.

After trailing by a point at half time to Grand Canyon last time out, the Cardinals would get their act together in the second stanza and pull away for the victory. Deng Adel had 15 points.

Louisville averages 75.0 PPG, but allows just 59.4. That’s 15th in the country. 

I’ll point out that Southern Illinois is just 2-4 ATS in its last six as a road dog of 12.5 points or more, while Louisville is 6-4 ATS in its last ten as a home fav of 18.5 to 24 points, including 2-0 ATS this season. 

After the scare last time out, I’m expecting Louisville to come in much more focused and expect it to post a comfortable ATS victory once it’s all said and done. Play on the Cardinals.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Texas (9:00 EST).

The 4-3 Texas Longhorns are in Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on the 6-2 Wolverines and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

After losing to Virginia Tech at home, the Wolverines bounced back to beat Kennesaw State last time out. 

Texas broke a three-game slide with a 77-68 win over Alabama on Friday.

When these teams played last year, Michigan escaped with a 78-72 victory from Austin. Suffice it to say, I’m fully expecting a similar final outcome today.

Longhorns’ guard Kerwin Roach Jr. had 16 points and was 12 of 16 from the free throw line to lead Texas over Alabama on Friday. Five players would go on to score in double figures. 

So far Texas averages 70.4 PPG, which isn’t great. But what the team lacks on the offensive end, it more than makes up for it on the defensive side of things, conceding an average of just 67 PPG and only 29.9 percent from beyond the arc. 

Michigan forward Moritz Wagner had 11 points in the win over the Fighting Owls. Note though that the Wolverines aren’t lighting up many scoreboards these days either, entering this one averaging just 71.2 PPG thus far. The defense has been exceptional though, allowing just 59.2 PPG. 

I’ll point out that the Longhorns are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 following a SU victory, while the Wolverines are just 1-4 ATS their last five at home and only 6-13 ATS in their last 19 following a SU victory of more than 20 points. 

The Wolverines have already lost to VT and South Carolina, so have a hard time seeing them covering a double-digit spread. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* EASTERN-CONFERENCE SIDE OF THE MONTH is on the Miami Heat (7:35 EST).

The 11-9 New York Knicks are in Miami to take on the 7-13 Heat and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the “hungrier” home side.

After winning three straight and six of their last eight after downing the Kings 106-98 at home on Sunday, I think the Knicks have a predictable letdown here.

While New York is 9-3 at home this year, it’s just 2-6 on the road. It isn’t overly spectacular on either end of the floor, ranked 15th in scoring with an average of 104.3 PPG, while ranked 22nd in scoring defense, conceding 106.4 PPG. Carmelo Anthony leads the way with 22.5 points, plus 6.2 boards per game for the Knicks.

The Heat can empathize, they’ve also struggled with consistency on both ends of the court this year. In their latest loss to the Trailblazers, big man Hassan Whiteside had 28 points, 16 boards and five blocks. Miami averages just 97.1 PPG, ranked 28th overall. The defense though has been solid all year, it concedes an average of just 98.8 PPG, ranked sixth. 

I’ll point out that New York is just 3-5 ATS on the road this season, while Miami is 14-8 ATS in its last 22 versus good offensive teams which score 99 plus points per contest.

With a game at home against the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night, I think the visitors get caught looking ahead to that one. A great situational play, I’m backing the Heat.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Villanova (7:00 EST). 

The 4-2 La Salle Explorers are in Philadelphia to take on the 8-0 Wildcats on Tuesday night and for a number of different reasons, i think this one favors the favorites.

The defending national champions are 8-0 out of the gate and won’t be able to simply look past the Explorers today, who come in having won three in a row.

During La Salle’s three game win streak the team has averaged 87 points and shot just under 53 percent from the floor. BJ Johnson had 22 points and nine boards in the Explorers’ 14-point victory over Bucknell on Saturday. 

But now La Salle faces the absolute best in the nation, dating back to last year sees Villanova having won 15 straight basketball games. Keep your eyes on senior forward Kris Jenkins, who is averaging 21 points and five boards. 

I’ll point out that La Salle is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven following a straight up victory and only 1-8 ATS in its last nine non-conference contests, while Villanova is 8-1-2 ATS in its last 11 against the Atlantic 10.

The Wildcats beat St. Joe’s by 31 and Penn by 25. I think tonight’s game could be the biggest blowout so far, I’m laying the points with confidence.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Rhode Island (7:00 EST).

The 5-2 Old Dominion Monarchs are in Rhode Island to take on the 5-3 Rams and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

OD is poised for a letdown here after winning its third straight, this time a tough 60-58 victory over Towson on the road on Saturday. 

Conversely, Rhode Island comes in focused and hungry after losing its second straight and third in its last four by falling 63-60 at Providence on Saturday. 

Note that this non-conference matchup does set up as a “revenge” game for the Rams as well, who fell 71-65 on the road to OD on December 22nd, 2015.

Old Dominion beat the Tigers despite shooting just 38.8 percent from the floor. The defense looked decent, holding the Tigers to just 3 of 14 from behind the arc.

The Monarchs average just 61.4 PPG, ranked 339th in the country. The defense concedes just 58.6 points per night though, ranked seventh overall.

The Rams will look to push the pace here and take advantage of OD’s anemic offense. Rhode Island actually had a 35-29 advantage at half-time against Providence, but was unable to hold on down the stretch. Hassan Martin had 14 points and 17 boards. 

The Rams are an above average offensive team, scoring 76.9 PPG. They’re also quite good on the defensive end of the floor, conceding an average of just 68.1 PPG. 

I’ll point out that Old Dominion is just 5-7 ATS in its last 12 after scoring 60 points or less, while Rhode Island is 6-1 ATS in its last seven as a home fav in the 9.5 to 12 points range and 10-5 ATS in its last 15 after scoring 60 points or less.

This one sets up perfectly for the Rams, lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PRIME-TIME PERFECT STORM is on the Indianapolis Colts (8:30 EST).

The 5-6 Indianapolis Colts are in New York to take on the 3-8 Jets and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Indianapolis looks to get back on track after a 28-7 loss on Thanksgiving to the Steelers, one which saw starting QB Andrew Luck sidelined with injury. Luck is back for this one though and he takes on a floundering Jets team which enters off a 22-17 loss at home to the Pats. 

Note that the Colts play with revenge here after losing 20-7 to New York last season. 

Last week Indy’ back up QB Scott Tolzien struggled, throwing one TD and two INT’s. But as mentioned off the top, Luck is back and he’s so far had a very good season, with 2,827 yards and a 19:8 TD/INT ratio in ten games played. 

Note that the Colts average 24.5 PPG, ranked 12th overall. The defense has been the weak point, giving up 27.4 PPG, ranked 27th overall.

Indinapolis’ defense though clearly catches a break this week in facing the Jets’ anemic unit which averages 17.8 PPG, ranked 28th. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick looked decent last week, but overall he’s been a disaster with a horrible 10:13 TD to INT ratio. Note that the defense concedes 24.2 PPG, ranked 21st. 

I’ll point out that the Colts are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams with a losing home record and 4-1 ATS in their last five following an ATS loss, while New York is interestingly just 4-10 ATS in its last 14 against teams with losing road records.

The Jets have struggled against the pass all year, conceding an average of 263 passing yards per game and I have hard time seeing that unit slowing down a refreshed Luck. New York has already been eliminated, while Indianapolis is in a dog fight for a playoff spot. I’m backing the “hungrier” side, play on the Colts.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* CA$H BOMB is on the Toronto Raptors (7:30 EST).

The 13-5 Cleveland Cavaliers are in Toronto to take on the 14-6 Raptors and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Cavs come into this one with zero momentum, most recently dropping their third straight in a 111-105 setback to Chicago on Friday. 

Meanwhile, Toronto enters on absolute fire, it’s won six straight, most recently a 128-84 drubbing of the Hawks on Saturday. 

These teams have played twice this year, and the Cavs have prevailed each time (94-91 in Toronto on October 28th and 121-117 at home on November 15th).

Of course, it was the Cavs that knocked Toronto off in six games of the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago as well. 

The “revenge factor” working in favor of the home side is off the charts tonight.

These teams are trending in opposite directions right now and while the Cavs will clearly get things turned around sooner than later, I don’t think that’s going to happen tonight in this hostile environment. 

Toronto posted its biggest win in franchise history last time out, with eight players scoring in double figures. 

I’ll point out that Cleveland is 0-4 ATS in its last four away from friendly confines, while Toronto is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six North of the border and 5-0 ATS in its last five following a SU victory.

It’s a perfect storm of factors working in favor of the home side tonight and I expect it to take full advantage. Play on the Raptors.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Connecticut (7:00 EST).

The 3-4 Connecticut Huskies are at Syracuse to take on the 5-2 Orange and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Huskies.

Both teams enter off victories, as UConn edged Boston U. 51-49, while Syracuse held on to beat North Florida 77-71 on Saturday to break a two-game slide.

These former Big East rivals played last year and the Orange beat the Huskies in the Battle for Atlantis tournament from Nassau.

Connecticut is injured, as Terry Larrier and point guard Alterique Gilbert have both been lost for the season. Last week it played just eight players to secure the victory over Boston. Keep your eyes on guard Jalen Adams, who leads the team with an average of 18 points, five boards and 5.4 assists per game. 

The Orange had a 24-point lead over North Florida, but faltered down the stretch and only wound up winning by seven points. Dallas Moore had 30 points. Like the Huskies though, Syracuse has struggled with offensive consistency already this year.

I’ll point out that UConn is 19-14 ATS in its last 33 after allowing 60 points or less, while Syracuse is 0-3 ATS in its last three as a neutral court favorite of 6.5 to nine points.

I think Syracuse gets caught looking past UConn tonight and the Huskies keep this one competitive until the final moments. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on the Detroit Pistons (6:05 EST).

The 8-12 Orlando Magic are in Detroit to take on the 11-10 PIstons and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

The Magic beat the 76ers 105-88 on Friday, while the Pistons won their third straight on the road and fifth in their last six overall by crushing the Hawks 121-85 on the same night.

If recent history is any precedence, then Detroit has to be loving its chances for a fourth straight win, as it’s taken seven straight in the series, including a convincing 108-82 beatdown in the first matchup this year.

Orlando is the one that looks poised for a letdown here, despite the victory over the lowly 76ers, note that the team still averages only 92.9 PPG, ranked second to last in the league. The Magic get the job done on the defensive end of the court, conceding an average of just 97.3 PPG, which ranks third overall.

Last time out for Detroit, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led eight other players in double figures with 23 points and eight boards. The Pistons average 100.4 PPG, but conceded just 96.9, ranked second overall. 

Tobia Harris leads Detroit with 17.1 points and 4.9 boards per outing, while Marcus Morris chips in 14 points and four boards.

I’ll point out that Orlando is just 1-4 ATS in its last five when playing on one days rest, just 1-6 ATS in its last seven after scoring 100 points or more and only 1-9 ATS in its last ten following an ATS victory, while Detroit is 5-1 ATS this year after scoring 105 points or more, 3-0 ATS after allowing 85 points or less and 3-0 ATS after playing three consecutive home games.

The Magic are just 4-6 SU on the road, while the Pistons are 7-2 at home this season. I think the home side continues its hot run and pulls away down the stretch for the comfortable ATS cover. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 8* NFL Week 13 Las Vegas Insider is on the SD Chargers at 4:25 ET.

Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers actually getting close to turning the corner? The Bucs have won FIVE of seven games since a 1-3 start and after their 14-5 home win over the Seahawks last Sunday, they own THREE consecutive wins and find themselves just one game back of the 7-4 Falcons in the NFC South. No one ever doubted QB Jameis Winston’s talent but some questioned his character. However, he continues to silence his critics. He completed 21 of 28 passes against Seattle with two TD passes. which means he’s now stretched his streak to 27 straight games with at least one rushing or passing TD to begin his career. Both TD throws went to WR Mike Evans (eight catches for 108 yards), who ranks third in receptions (73) and second in receiving yards (1,020) on the season.

RB Doug Martin is starting to regain his health and had his best game since returning to the field last Sunday, gaining 87 yards (up from 33- and 63-yard efforts the previous two games). The defense checks in at 19th in points allowed (24.0 per) but is off its best game of the season, holding Seattle without a TD in last Sunday's 14-5 win. Seattle QB Russell Wilson battled injuries in October, going three straight games without a TD, passing or rushing, to close out the month. However, Seattle was 3-0 in November as Wilson’s return to health saw him pass for six TDs (without an interception) plus he added added a rushing and receiving score, as well. Seattle had averaged 29.3 PPG in its three-game winning streak but that all came to an end at Raymond James Stadium last Sunday. Russell was 17 of 33 for just 151 yards (0 TDs / 2 INTs), as Seattle scored only five points (a defensive safety and a FG), gaining only 245 yards while converting just 1 of 11 third-down opportunities.

The Bucs now travel cross-country to San Diego, looking to continue their outstanding road play which has seen them go 4-1 SU & ATS. However, they’ll meet a San Diego team which may be just 5-6 but owns a home win over Denver plus road wins at division leaders Atlanta and Houston. Let me also add that the Chargers 1-4 start included an OT loss at KC (blew a 27-10 4th-quarter lead), a four-point loss at Indy, a one-point loss to the Saints and a three-point loss to the Raiders. QB Philip Rivers is having another magnificent season, RB Melvin Gordon is headed for comeback player of the year honors and CB Casey Hayward leads the NFL in interceptions with six.

The Chargers ranked 9th in total yards last year (371.8 YPG) but weren’t able to translate that into points, averaging only 20.0 PPG (25th). The team has fixed that this season, as they are gaining almost the same amount of yards (37.1 per game to rank 8th) but instead of averaging just 20.0 PPG, they are scoring 28.5 PPG to rank 4th in the entire NFL! Rivers is completing 62.9% for 271.5 YPG with 23 TDs and 12 INTs. He’s topped 4,000 passing yards in SEVEN of his last eight seasons, while averaging 29.6 TD passes per year in that span. Doing the math, he’s on pace to throw for over 4,300 yards in 2016 and 33 TDs. Gordon was San Diego’s 1st-round pick last year but flopped badly, rushing for just 641 yards (on 3.5 YPC) while not scoring a single TD. He’s got 908 rushing yards this season (on pace for over 1,300) and has nine rushing TDs while adding two more TDs on 37 catches!

At 5-6, this is “last stand” time for the Chargers and this Tampa Bay team just doesn’t have the pedigree to keep winning on the road. Expect the Chargers to even their record at 6-6, earning the win “with room to spare!”

Good luck...Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Denver Broncos (1:00 EST).

The 7-4 Denver Broncos are in Jacksonville to take on the 2-9 Jaguars and despite being down to their No. 2 QB, I think this one favors the visitors.

Denver comes in off a 30-27 OT loss to Kansas City, while Jacksonville fell 28-21 to the Bills. 

The Chiefs hit a game-winning field goal as time expried in OT last week. QB Trevor Simien was great, but he was injured near the end of the game, meaning the Paxton Lynch will get the call tonight. I don’t see much of a drop off between these two, as the offense is primarily focused around the run game anyways.

Denver wins games because of its defense and special teams’ play and I’m expecting these two phases to once again play a big part in the final outcome of this one as well. Note that the Broncos average 24.2 PPG, ranked 13th overall. The defense concedes 19.9 PPG, ranked 19th overall, but note that the unit did post six sacks last week.

The Jags are a mess and come into this one having lost six straight. Last week struggling QB Blake Bortles had 126 yards and two TD’s. The run game was decent with 183 yards with one TD. The offense though averages just 19.5 PPG, ranked 26th overall. 

The defense is on par with the offense, conceding 26.6 PPG, which also ranks 26th overall.

I’ll point out that Denver is 14-5 ATS in its last 19 following a straight up loss, while Jacksonville is interestingly, just 1-4-2 ATS in its last seven after posing more than 150 rushing yards in its previous game. 

As Bortles goes, so go the Jaguars. Jacksonville relies on Bortles to move this offense, which doesn’t bode well in facing the Broncos No. 1 ranked pass defense, allowing an average of just 193 passing yars per game. 

I’m laying the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 EST).

The 8-3 Kansas City Chiefs are in Atlanta to take on the 7-4 Falcons and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

KC comes in off a confidence building 30-27 OT win over Denver, while Atlanta enters off a 38-19 win over Arizona. 

Last week Chiefs’ QB Alex Smith had 220 yards, one TD and no INT’s. TE Travis Kelce made eight catches for 101 yards. KC is once again in the thick of the AFC West race and averages 22.9 points per game, ranked 16th overall. 

Kansas City’s normally stout defense looked a bit shaky last week, but despite the sub-par performance, the unit still concedes an average of just 19.5 PPG.

Falcons’ QB Matt Ryan was solid once again last week, finishing 26 of 34 for 269 yards, two TD’s and an INT. WR Julio Jones had four catches for 35 yards, but the run game picked up the slack by posting three rushing major scores. 

Atlanta owns the league’s No. 1 offense, one which averages 32.5 PPG, but its defense has been a disaster, conceding 27.5 PPG, ranked 28th. 

I’ll point out that KC is 4-2 ATS on the road this year and 2-1 ATS when playing the role of underdog, while Atlanta is just 5-16 ATS in its last 21 as a favorite (including only 2-3 ATS this year). 

I think the Chiefs’ superior defense and special teams will play a significant role in the final outcome of this game and while I clearly wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, ultimately I’m going to recommend that you grab as many points as you can. Play on Kansas City.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Green Bay Packers (1:00 EST).

The 6-5 Houston Texans are in Green Bay to take on the 5-6 Packers and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

Houston comes in off a listless 21-13 loss to San Diego last week, while Green Bay got off the schneid with a convincing 27-13 win in Philadelphia on Monday night.

Last week Texans’ QB Brock Osweiler struggled with 246 yards, zero TD’s and three INT’s. So far he’s thrown 12 TD’s to 13 picks. WR DeAndre Hopkins has just one 100 yard receiving game this year. Note that RB Lamar Miller had just 57 yards on 19 carries last week. 

It comes as little surprise to learn that Houston ranks in the bottom of almost every offensive category, the unit averages just 17.6 PPG, ranked 29th overall.

The defense has also regressed as the season has progressed and now concedes 21.5 PPG, ranked 13th overall. 

Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers was 30 of 39 last week for 313 yards, two TD’s and no picks. So far Rodgers has 27 TD’s to just seven picks. Davantae Adams had five grabs for 113 yards and two TD’s. The offense averages 24.9 PPG, ranked 11th overall. 

The defense concedes 26.3 PPG, ranked 25th, but looked a lot better last week in allowing just 292 total to Philadelphia.

I’ll point out that Houston is already 0-3 ATS this year as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points and just 1-3 ATS on the road, while Green Bay is 3-1 ATS his season as a home fav of 3.5 to seven points.

I simply can’t see the Texans keeping pace with the Packers and their surging offense, I’m laying the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* COLLEGE FOOTBALL SIDE OF THE YEAR is on Wisconsin (8:00 EST).

The 10-2 Nittany Lions take on the 10-2 Badgers at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Big Ten Title on Saturday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors Wisconsin. 

Penn State beat Michigan State last week to clinch a spot in the Big 10 title game. The Nittany Lions are 8-1 in Big 10 action and defeated Ohio State (also 8-1) on October 22nd by a score of 24-21 to win the East Division. 

Wisconsin beat Minnesota 31-17 at home last weekend, but had already clinched a spot in the Big 10 Championship game after Nebraska lost to Iowa on Friday due to the tiebreaker. After scoring just three points in the third quarter to make it 17-10, the Badgers would put the pedal to the metal in the fourth and score three TD’s to beat the Golden Gophers 31-17. Keep your eyes on senior CB Sojourn Shelton, who had two fourth quarter INT’s.

On the offensive side, RB Corey Clement had two rushing TD’s. The defense also came up big as it held opposing QB Mitch Leidner to just 9 of 26 for 158 yards, one TD and four picks. 

Starting QB Alex Hornibrook was just 4 of 8 for 29 yards before leaving injured in the second quarter. Backup Bart Houston was effecient, going 9 of 14 for 123 yards. Whether its Hornibrook or Houston, I love this play, as I truly believe that the Badgers’ defense and special teams are playing at an entirely different level right now.

Note that the Badgers average just 179.6 passing yards per game anyways. The defense allows just 292 yards per game though (ranked 7th), including only 100.8 YPG on the ground (3rd). 

No. 7 Penn State fell behind 12-10 to MSU last Saturday, but turned it on in the second half, outgaining the Spartans 256-125 the rest of the way, eventually pulling away for the 45-12 win at home. They won despite RB Saquon Barkley leaving the game with a sprained ankle. Junior QB Trace McSorely has been exceptional this year and he’ll clearly be the focal point of this aggressive Badgers’ pass defense. Note that McSorely finished with 21 TD’s to just five picks. 

The Nittany Lions average 433.2 YPG, which ranks 53rd in the nation. They’re 20th in the country on the defensive side in allowing an average of 346.8 YPG.

I’ll point out though that Penn State is just 5-7 ATS in its last 12 as an underdog, while Wisconsin is 5-3 ATS in its last eight as a favorite. 

In my professional opinion, the old saying: “Defense wins championships,” could not be more apt in this matchup.

The Nittany Lions’ win over the Buckeyes was impressive, but as stated above, I think that the Badgers’ defensive dominance and special teams plays turns out to be the difference. Play on Wisconsin.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Situational Stunner is on the Memphis Grizzlies (8:00 EST).

The 10-11 LA Lakers are in Memphis to take on the 12-8 Grizzlies and for a number of different reasons (despite several injuries to key players), I think this one favors the home side.

LA isn’t surprising anyone anymore, last night it lost its fourth in its last six after getting destroyed 113-80 by the Raptors on the road. I had a play on LA in that one and while I don’t normally ever “flip-flop,” on a team, I always remain flexible with my approach (especially in the regular season) and for the most part analyze contests by a “game by game” basis.

Conversely, Memphis enters this one with momentum after breaking a three game slide with a 95-94 home win over Orlando on Thursday. 

LA averages 106.6 PPG, but allows 109.6. Lou Williams leads the way with 16.7 points plus 3.5 assists a night off the bench. 

The Grizzlies would outscore the Magic 30-26 in the fourth quarter to score the 1-point win. The hungry home side would force 17 turnovers and big man Marc Gasol finished with 25 points and five blocks.

So far Memphis averages just 97.2 PPG. The Grizzlies get the job done with tough defensive play though, allowing just 98.3 PPG, good for fifth in the league. 

I’ll point out that LA is just 1-3 ATS in its last four as a road fav of three points or less, while Memphis is 9-5 ATS in its last 14 as a home dog of three points or less.

LA is dealing with a few injuries as well, so while Memphis may be injured, it’s still very dangerous in this position. LA played just 24 hours previous in Eastern Canada and had to fly half way around the country for this one. 

I’m banking on the Grizzlies to find a way to get the job done at the end of the night.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Clemson (8:00 EST).

The 9-3 Virginia Tech Hokies get ready to battle the 11-1 Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship Game from Orlando on Saturday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the Tigers.

Clemson cruised to a 56-7 destruction of South Carolina on Saturday night, while VT smashed Virginia 52-10. 

Hokies’ QB Jerod Evans had 253 yards and two TD’s last week. RB Sam Rogers had a career high 105 yards and two TD’s as well. Note that VT averages 35 PPG, ranked 35th in the country. The Hokies are even better defensively, ranked 20th overall in conceding an average of 21.1 PPG.

Clemson QB DeShaun Watson had 347 yards and six TD’s last week. RB Wayne Gallman had 112 yards and has 14 major scores on the year. The Tigers feature one of the best passing units in the country and are now averaging 40 PPG, ranked 17th overall. Not to be outdone though, the defense also looked great, allowing just 218 total yards on 14 first downs (compared to 41 for the Tigers). Note that Clemson allows just 17 PPG, ranked ninth in the nation.

I’ll point out that Virginia Tech is just 1-4 ATS this year off a win against a conference rival and only 1-3 ATS after two or more consecutive SU victories, while Clemson is 4-0 ATS in its last four neutral field contests.

I think the combination of Watson and Gallman will prove to be too much for the VT defense and look for the super star duo to wear down the Hokies. Clemson’s defense is second to none and will play a big part in the final outcome once it’s all said and done as well. Lay the points.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on Alabama (4:00 EST).

The 8-3 Florida Gators take on the 12-0 Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturady afternoon and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the favorite.

The Gators enter this one with zero momentum after falling 31-13 at Florida State last weekend.

Conversely, the Tide avoided a potentially dangerous trap game by rolling over Auburn 30-12 last week. 

These teams played last year in the SEC Championship game as well and the Tide cruised to a 29-15 victory. Suffice it to say, I’m expecting a much bigger final discrepancy this evening.

Last week Gators’ backup QB Austin Appleby was just 19 of 35 for 149 yards and zero TD’s. The senior QB has struggled in his time this year, throwing for six TD’s and two INT’s in five starts. 

Not surprisingly, Florida ranks among the worst in the nation offensively, posting just 24.1 PPG, ranked 104th overall. Defensively the team shines though, conceding an average of just 14.6 PPG, ranked fifth overall. 

Tide’ QB Jalen Hurts has 21 TD’s to just nine INT’s this year, he finished with 286 yards and two TD’s last week. The run game was also fantastic, going for over 200 yards against one of the best run defenses in the country. Note that Alabama averages 39.4 PPG, ranked 19th overall. 

Alabama owns the No. 1 defense in the land though, a unit which concedes a paltry 11.4 PPG. 

I’ll point out that Florida is interestingly just 1-4 ATS in its last five after accumulating less than 170 passing yards in its previous game, while Alabama is 6-1 ATS in its last seven following an ATS loss.

Appleby has thrown for less than 200 yards in all but one of his starts and is clearly going to be in trouble today. I simply can’t see the Gators putting up much (or any?), offensive resistance and look for the Tide to pull away for the comfortable ATS cover once it’s all said and done.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on West Virginia (3:30 EST).

The 6-5 Baylor Bears are at West Virginia to take on the 9-2 Mountaineers and for a number of different reasons, i think this one favors the home side.

WVU won’t be playing for the conference title, but can capture a large bowl berth with another convincing victory today. 

The Bears on the other hand come into this one having lost five straight, most recently a pathetic 54-35 setback to Texas Tech. Suffice it to say, I think the visitors simply “go through the motions” this afternoon. 

After winning its first six straight, Baylor has since gone on to lose its next five. Last week the Bears allowed TT QB Patrick Hahomes to throw for nearly 600 yards and six TD’s without an INT. Baylor QB Zach Smith had 377 yards in the losing effort. 

West Virginia is trying to win ten games for the first time since 2011 and is led by QB Skyler Howard, who has 3,083 yards, 24 TD’s and just 10 picks this season. Last week Howard had five TD’s and 330 yards passing in his team’s 49-19 destruction of Iowa State. RB Martell Pttaway led the way on the ground with 181 rushing yards. 

I’ll point out that Baylor is 0-6 ATS in its last six on the road, while WVU is interestingly 4-0 ATS in its last four after scoring 40 more points in its previous game.

I think Howard is going to have a big night against the Bears’ porous secondary and expect the Mountaineers defense to do just enough to help out in a comfortable ATS victory. Play on West Virginia.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Las Vegas Insider is on Stanford (3:30 EST).

The Stanford Cardinal get ready to battle the Kansas Jayhawks and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors. 

Kansas opened the season with a 103-99 OT loss to Indiana in the Armed Forces Classic from Hawaii, but then bounced back four days later to beat Duke by two points from MSG.

The Jayhawks have since won five straight, most recently a 91-61 drubbing of LBSU on Tuesday. 

The Cardinal enter off a 66-51 home to loss to No. 12 St. Mary’s on Wednesday.

Stanford had a horrible night shooting against the Gaels, finishing just 38.2 percent from the floor and only 3 of 13 from behind the arc. I think the team will be much more focused this evening after the shoddy performance last time out. Reid Travis leads the team with an average of 16.3 points and 9.5 boards per game, while Dorian Pickens adds 13.8 points. 

The Jayhawks’ Lagerald Vick caught fire against the 49ers, going 9 of 9 from the field for a career-high 23 points. 

Kansas averages 85.1 PPG, but note that it shoots a poor 59.9 percent from the foul line (ranked 335th).

And note that Kansas is just 2-3 ATS in its last five as a favorite, while Stanford, despite the slow start this season, is still 8-4 ATS in its last 12 after scoring 60 points or less.

I’m not going to predict an outright upset, but I do think this one sets up great for the Cardinals to keep this one competitive until the final moments. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* Oddsmaker’s Error is on Texas (9:30 EST).

The 4-2 Alabama Crimson Tide are playing the 3-3 Texas Longhorns on Friday night and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors Texas.

The Longhorns come into this one extremely motivated as they look to snap a three-game slide. 

Conversely, I think this one sets up as a letdown spot for the Crimson Tide, who have won two in a row, most recently against Charleston Southern.

Alabama is led by senior forward Shannon Hale and freshman Donta Hall, who is averaging six points and nine boards per game. Note that nine Tide players average between 4.0 and 10.7 PPG.

Texas has had issues at the point guard position, as sophomore Kerwin Roach and freshman Andrew Jones continue to battle it out for the job after Isaiah Taylor skipped his senior year before going undrafted in the NBA. 

However, I’ll point out that the Longhorns are 3-1 ATS in their last three after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive outings.

And I’ll also point out that this is a spot in which the Crimson Tide have struggled in for bettors, going just 1-2 ATS this year after allowing 60 points or less.

I’m banking on the desperate home side in doing just enough to come away with the cover this evening. Play on Texas.

Good luck…Larry

My 10* PERFECT STORM is on Colorado (9:00 EST). 

The No. 9, 10-2 Colorado Buffaloes get ready to take on the No. 4, 11-1 Washington Huskies in the PAC-12 Championship game in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

Colorado enters off a 27-22 home win over Utah, while Washington smashed Washington State 45-17 in The Apple Cup. Note that the last time these team’s played against each other, the Huskies would come away with a hard-fought 28-23 win back in November 2014. 

Last week the Buffs played well on both sides of the ball. QB Sefo Liufau had 270 yards and a TD. The offense has been decent this season, averaging 34.8 PPG, ranked 36th overall. But as mentioned off the top, the defense was domimant, conceding only 160 passying yards and holding Utah to just 6 for 21 on third down. Note that Colorado allows only 18.8 PPG, ranked 36th in the country.

There is a lot on the line for the Huskies, as a victory today would seal their inclusion into the Championship round. Last week Jake Browning was 21 of 29 for 292 yards and three TD’s. Browning leads an offense which averages 44.8 PPG, ranked third in the country. The defense has been just as good, conceding only 17.8 PPG, ranked 11th overall.

I’ll point out though that this is a spot in which Colorado has excelled in for bettors, going 4-0 ATS as an underdog this season and 4-1 ATS against teams with winning records, while Washington has struggled in this position, just 4-5 ATS against the conference and only 2-3 ATS in its last five when playing the role of favorite. 

The pressure is on Browning and the Huskies, while Colorado has nothing to lose tonight and everything to gain. I’m going to stop short in predicting an outright upset, but I do definitely expect this “under-the-radar” Colorado team to at the very least, do enough to comfortably cover with the points. Play on the Buffaloes.

Good luck…Larry

The third 10* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Washington Wizards (8:30 EST0.

The 6-11 Washington Wizards are in San Antonio to take on the 15-4 Spurs and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

The Wizards will be in a particularly foul mood today after letting a 7-point lead slip away late in regulation, eventually falling 126-115 in OT in OKC. They’re also out for revenge after SA beat them 112-110 at home last Saturday night. 

Washington would waste another big effort from guard Bradley Beal, who had 31 points in the loss to the Thunder. Markieff Morris also had a big game, added 19 points and seven boards. So far the Wiz average 102.8 PPG.

After Orlando beat SA by 12 on Tuesday, the Spurs would bounce back with a lacklustre 94-87 win over the Mavericks on the road on Wednesday.

Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard had 21 points and seven boards against the Mavs, but was just 5 of 16 overall. 

I’ll point out that San Antonio is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven at home and only 9-19-1 ATS in its last 29 when playing on one days rest, while Washington is 3-1 ATS in its last four when trying to revenge a home loss against an opponent. 

The Spurs have struggled with game-to-game consistency and I think the hungry visitors will give them everything they can handle tonight. Grab the points.

Good luck…Larry

The first 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the LA Lakers (7:30 EST).

The 10-10 LA Lakers are in Toronto to take on the 12-6 Raptors and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the home side.

LA is coming off a confidence building 96-90 road win in Chicago on Wednesday, while Toronto is coming off its fourth straight victory in a 120-105 effort over the undermanned Grizzlies on Wednesday night. 

LA would hold Chicago to just 35.2 percent shooting, including 4 of 21 from down town. The Lakers also controlled the glass by a dominant 62-46 margin. Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams led the way with 18 points apiece. 

So for the Lakers average 106.6 PPG, ranked eighth overall. LA struggles defensively, conceding an average of 109.6, but clearly the unit took a big step in the right direction in its latest victory.

Toronto guard Kyle Lowry led the way over Memphis with 29 points and eight assists. Toronto averages 109.7 PPG, while conceding 104.3. DeMar DeRozan leads the team with 28.9 PPG.

I’ll point out that the Lakers are 4-1 ATS in non-conference games this year, while the Raptors are just 4-5 ATS in the same position. 

I think the visitors can “hang” with the home side here and while I’ll stop short in predicting the outright upset, everything does indeed point to a comfortable cover for the Lakers.

Good luck…Larry

The second 8* pick of my Superstar Triple Play is on the Sacramento Kings (7:30 EST).

The 7-11 Sacramento Kings are in Boston to take on the 10-8 Celtics and for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors the visitors.

Sacramento comes into this one with a little extra time off, as its game against Philadelphia was postponed due to condensation on the floor, the contest will be made up at a later date. This is a great little situational factor which I think will be a big difference maker tonight.

The home side comes in with zero momentum, most recently losing a third straight, this time 121-114 to the Pistons on Wednesday. 

In their most recent game against the Wizards, the Kings would eventually succumb in the overtime period. Big man DeMarcus Cousins led the way with 36 points and 20 boards. So far Sacramento is ranked 17th overall in the league in scoring with 103.2 PPG. The defense is ranked 19th, conceding 105.2. 

I’ll point out though that Sacramento is 6-1 ATS in its last seven against teams with a winning record, while Boston is interestingly, just 1-4 ATS in its last five against the Pacific division.

Boston has struggled with consistency and will have its hands full today with this well rested and re-focused Kings’ team. While I obviously wouldn’t be shocked by an outright upset, I’m going to grab the points in the end.

Good luck…Larry