Sports Wagers NBA (Passing in College Hoops)
Philadelphia -4 over L.A. Clippers Pinnacle
We routinely see totals in the low 180's but when the Clippers play, the total is rarely under the mid 190’s. That's because they Clippers are the 4th highest scoring team in the league. They're coming off a loss in Cleveland and despite a 5-5 road record, they have lost to almost every respectable team they've played on the road. After beating the Warriors on the road to open the year, L.A. then dropped consecutive away games to San Antonio, Portland, Utah and the Lakers. They've won four of its last five road games but two of those came by less than two baskets and the other was in OT. They could conceivably be 2-8 on the road and now they'll play one of the best defensive and top home teams in the league. The Clippers are poor defensively and they're poor on the boards, as they rank 25th in both categories. By contrast, the 76ers rank second defensively and 7th in rebounding. They're also 13-4 at home after losing to San Antonio in their last game. A closer look reveals that Philly's last six games have come against Orlando, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, the Lakers and San Antonio. They exceed the Clippers in almost all categories and even though they score less they hit a higher percentage of their shots. The 76ers are 15-2 when they lead in shot percentage. They're also 10-2 when they out-rebound their opponents and you can count on that hapenning here. Being 15-8 and now without Chauncey Billups, the Clippers’ record is significantly better than they are. Play: Philadelphia -4 (Risking 2.06 units to win 2).
Indiana +106 over MEMPHIS Pinnacle
The Grizzlies are a somewhat respectable 13-13 thus far. However, they've lost seven of their past 10 games and they're too erratic to trust giving away anything to quality opponents. The Pacers are pure quality. They come in here with a 17-8 record. On one day's rest like they have here, Indiana is 11-4 while the Grizzlies are just 10-9. We also like the fact that Indiana has lost four straight to this opponent and all four games were double-digit losses, including last year's 21-point loss here. Guaranteed that the Pacers are aware of the way the Grizzlies have handled them but for the first time in a while, Indiana is the superior team now and you can expect a response. Roy Hibbert is a beast in the middle, as he and the whole front court can seriously fill it up. The Pacers have few weaknesses while the Grizzlies have many. One figures the Pacers to want this one more simply due to the fact that they have four straight double digit losses to this host. Play: Indiana +106 (Risking 2 units).
UTAH +100 over Oklahoma City Pinnacle
The Thunder are scary good. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are the league's most dynamic duo next to LeBron and D-Wade. On an even playing field they would absolutely bury this enthusiastic Jazz bunch but this near impossible situation for the Thunder screams for a play on the Jazz. OKC played in Sacramento last night. They played in Portland on Monday and Golden State on Tuesday. This will be its fourth game in five nights, its sixth game since last Friday and its final game of a five-game trip. Westbrook and Durant played 38 and 42 minutes respectively last night. Not only wll it be the Thunder's fourth in five and sixth game since Friday but one can't ignore the difficulty of playing in the high altitude in Utah under these extreme conditions. After this game, the Thunder will be off all weekend and won't play again until Tuesday. No question they'll be looking forward to three full days off, thus the Jazz and their 11-4 home record should be able to take full advantage. Play: Utah +100 (Risking units).