SPORTS ADVISORS
MONDAY, JANUARY 25
NBA
Cleveland (34-11, 21-23-1 ATS) at Miami (23-20, 22-21 ATS)
The Cavaliers shoot for their fifth straight victory when they visit American Airlines Arena in Miami for an Eastern Conference showdown with the Heat.
Cleveland has rattled off four straight wins (1-3 ATS), including Saturday’s narrow 100-99 victory over the Thunder, coming up well short as an eight-point home favorite. LeBron James just missed a triple-double with 37 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in the win. The Cavs are 17-8 on the road this season (14-10-1 ATS), scoring 101 points a game while allowing just 96.1.
Miami has won two straight (SU and ATS), including Saturday’s 115-84 drubbing of the Kings in Florida, easily cashing as a seven-point favorite. Dwyane Wade had 27 points and eight assists and second-year forward Michael Beasley had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way for the Heat. They are just 13-10 (11-12 ATS) in front of the home fans, averaging 97.8 points a game while giving up 93.2 per home contest.
The Cavs have won and covered in three straight series clashes, including a 111-104 win in Miami on Nov. 12, cashing as one-point underdogs. They are 7-1 (5-3 ATS) in the last eight head-to-head meetings and 5-2 ATS in the last seven clashes in South Beach.
Cleveland comes into this one on ATS slides of 1-4-1 on the road, 1-4-1 overall, and 1-7-1 after a straight up win, but it is 36-15-1 ATS in its last 52 Monday outings. Miami is on positive ATS runs of 5-2 at home, 6-1 against Central Division teams and 7-3 against the Eastern Conference, but they are on ATS skids of 4-11 on Mondays and 2-5 after a spread-cover.
For the Cavaliers, the “over” is 5-2 in their last seven overall and their last seven against teams with winning records. The Heat are on “under” runs of 4-1 overall, 5-2 at home, 21-7 after a straight-up win and 4-1 against Central Division teams. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in each of the last four.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Atlanta (28-14 SU and ATS) at Houston (24-19, 22-21 ATS)
The Hawks begin a stretch of 10 of 14 road games when they visit the Toyota Center for a matchup against the Rockets.
Atlanta wrapped up a 4-1 (3-2 ATS) homestand on Friday with a 103-89 win over the Bobcats, cashing as a 6 ½-point favorite. Four of their five starters reached double-digits in points with center Al Horford leading the way with 23 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks are just 10-9 (12-7 ATS) on the road this season where they averaged 98.1 points a game and allow 97.9 per contest.
Houston has won just four of its last 10 overall, but managed to cash in just two of those 10. Friday, the Rockets fell 104-97 at home to the Bulls as six-point favorites. They have lost two of four at home and failed to cash in any of those four, but for the season they are 13-6 (11-8 ATS) in front of the home fans.
The Hawks won the earlier matchup this season between these two, taking a 105-103 win at home on Nov. 20, coming up short as a seven-point chalk. The Rockets have cashed in five straight and eight of the last 10 series meetings. The home team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 clashes and the chalk has gotten the cash in seven of the last 10.
Atlanta is on positive ATS streaks of 18-7-1 against Western Conference teams and 6-2 as a road ‘dog. Houston is on ATS runs of 34-16-1 against Southeast Division teams and 7-3 after getting a day off, but it is on ATS slides of 0-4 at home, 1-5 overall, 2-5 after a non-cover and 3-7 as a favorite of up to 4 ½ points.
The Hawks are on “under” streaks of 9-3 on Mondays, 12-5 as pups, 4-1 after two days off and 6-1 after a straight-up win. Meanwhile, the Rockets are on “over” runs of 6-0 overall, 4-0 at home, 4-0 after a non-cover and 4-0 as a chalk. These two teams have topped the total in four of their last six meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Phoenix (26-19, 23-22 ATS) at Utah (25-18, 25-16-2 ATS)
The slumping Suns head to EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City to take on the red-hot Jazz in a matchup of Western Conference playoff contenders.
Phoenix has dropped five of its last seven overall and failed to cash in seven of its last nine, including Saturday’s 112-103 home win over Golden State, narrowly missing as an 11 ½-point chalk. The Suns are just 9-14 on the road (11-12 ATS) where they give up a whopping 109.8 points a game and 46.8 percent shooting.
Utah has won six of seven overall and gone 7-0-2 ATS in its last nine overall. The Jazz clobbered the Nets 116-83 at home on Saturday, covering as 16 ½-point favorites and led offensively by Mehmet Okur (20 points and 11 rebounds) and Carlos Boozer (22 points and nine rebounds). They are 17-6 (15-7-1 ATS) in front of the home fans this season and average 105.2 points a game at home and shoot an amazing 51.2 percent from the floor.
The home team has won four straight (2-2 ATS) in this rivalry and six of the last seven (3-4 ATS) overall. The two teams split last season’s four games with the host getting the win each night, however the road team is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 clashes. Utah is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings with the underdog cashing in 16 of the last 23.
Phoenix is on several ATS slides, including 1-4 overall, 2-5 on the road and 6-13-1 as a road ‘dog of 5 to 10 1/2 points. Utah is on nothing but positive ATS runs, including 12-3-1 at home, 22-8 on Mondays, 4-0 after getting a day off, 4-0-1 against the Western conference, 4-0-1 as a favorite and 5-0-2 after a straight-up win.
The Suns have topped the total in five of seven on the road, four of five as ‘dogs and nine of 11 against the Western Conference, but they have stayed “under” the total in 16 of 23 after a non-cover and nine of 12 on the road against teams with winning home records. Meanwhile, the Jazz are on “over” streaks of 5-2 overall, 5-1 on Mondays and 4-1 against Western Conference foes. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in four of the last five.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UTAH
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(12) Georgetown (15-3, 8-6 ATS) at (5) Syracuse (19-1, 12-4 ATS)
The Orange are looking for their seventh straight win as they welcome their longtime rival Georgetown to the Carrier Dome in this Big East confrontation.
The Hoyas have won two straight, including an 88-63 home blowout of Rutgers on Saturday, cashing as whopping 19½-point favorites. Four of five starters reached double digits in scoring, with Greg Monroe leading the way with 21 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Georgetown is 7-2 in games away from home (5-2 ATS), where they crank up the defensive pressure, allowing just 60.3 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting.
Syracuse had won and cashed in five straight until Saturday when the Orange beat Marquette 76-71 at home but fell short as 8½-point favorites, getting 22 points and 15 rebounds from Wesley Johnson. The Orange average 84.4 ppg at home and shoot a stellar 54.1 percent from the floor while holding the opposition to 62.1 ppg and 36.9 percent shooting.
The home team has won five straight (4-1 ATS) and seven of eight (5-3 ATS) in this rivalry with Syracuse cashing in five of the last six. The Orange scored a 98-94 OT win at home last season, cashing as 3½-point favorites. Syracuse is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in New York.
Georgetown is 5-2 ATS in the last seven road games, but it is on negative ATS streaks of 7-19 in Big East play, 4-10 on Mondays and 6-21-1 after a spread-cover. Syracuse is on a plethora of positive ATS runs, including 21-6 overall, 12-4 at home, 12-3 in Big East action and 4-0 after a non-cover.
The Hoyas have stayed “under” the total in six of seven on Mondays and six of eight after a spread-cover, but they’ve topped the total in five straight overall and five straight conference games. The Orangemen have stayed below the number in eight of 11 on Mondays and five of six after a non-cover, but they are on “over” runs of 4-1 at home and 19-7 after a straight-up win. Finally, the “over” has been the play in each of the last three head-to-head meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE
Missouri (15-4, 8-5 ATS) at (3) Kansas (18-1, 8-7-1 ATS)
Two of the top three teams in the Big 12 square off inside Allen Fieldhouse at Lawrence, Kan., as Missouri meets the Jayhawks.
The Tigers had their nine-game winning streak (4-1 ATS) snapped on Jan. 16 at Oklahoma, falling 66-61 as 3½-point road favorites. But they rebounded and clubbed Nebraska 70-53 at home on Saturday, getting the cash as a 13-point chalk. Missouri is just 2-4 (2-3 ATS) on the road this season and give up a whopping 76 points a game while managing just 74.2 with the offense on 38.4 percent shooting.
Kansas has won four straight (2-1-1 ATS) since losing their only game this season at Tennessee on Jan. 10. Saturday the Jayhawks went to Iowa State and got an 84-61 win as 11 ½-point favorites, led by Cole Aldrich’s 19 points and 11 rebounds. Kansas shoots 50.4 percent from the floor inside Allen Fieldhouse and puts up 89.5 points a game while allowing just 60.5 points and limiting the opposition to 36 percent shooting.
The Jayhawks have won six of the last seven series clashes (5-2 ATS), including a 90-65 home win as a 4 ½-point favorite last season.
Missouri has cashed in six of seven conference games and four of five overall, but the Tigers are on ATS slides of 16-35 on the road, 8-22 on the road against teams with winning home records and 1-4 on Mondays. Kansas has failed to cover in four straight after a spread-cover, but it is on several ATS streaks, including 34-16-2 overall, 35-17-1 at home, 10-1 on Mondays and 19-6-2 in Big 12 action.
The Tigers have stayed below the total in six of seven Big 12 games but they’ve gone “over” the number in six of eight road games, seven of eight Monday outings and six of eight on the road against teams with winning home records. Kansas is on several “under” runs, including 7-3 overall, 20-6 after a straight-up win, 5-1 at home, 8-2 following a spread-cover and 11-1 at home against teams with a losing road record. Finally, in this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in six of the last nine clashes dating to 2005.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and OVER
MONDAY, JANUARY 25
NBA
Cleveland (34-11, 21-23-1 ATS) at Miami (23-20, 22-21 ATS)
The Cavaliers shoot for their fifth straight victory when they visit American Airlines Arena in Miami for an Eastern Conference showdown with the Heat.
Cleveland has rattled off four straight wins (1-3 ATS), including Saturday’s narrow 100-99 victory over the Thunder, coming up well short as an eight-point home favorite. LeBron James just missed a triple-double with 37 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in the win. The Cavs are 17-8 on the road this season (14-10-1 ATS), scoring 101 points a game while allowing just 96.1.
Miami has won two straight (SU and ATS), including Saturday’s 115-84 drubbing of the Kings in Florida, easily cashing as a seven-point favorite. Dwyane Wade had 27 points and eight assists and second-year forward Michael Beasley had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way for the Heat. They are just 13-10 (11-12 ATS) in front of the home fans, averaging 97.8 points a game while giving up 93.2 per home contest.
The Cavs have won and covered in three straight series clashes, including a 111-104 win in Miami on Nov. 12, cashing as one-point underdogs. They are 7-1 (5-3 ATS) in the last eight head-to-head meetings and 5-2 ATS in the last seven clashes in South Beach.
Cleveland comes into this one on ATS slides of 1-4-1 on the road, 1-4-1 overall, and 1-7-1 after a straight up win, but it is 36-15-1 ATS in its last 52 Monday outings. Miami is on positive ATS runs of 5-2 at home, 6-1 against Central Division teams and 7-3 against the Eastern Conference, but they are on ATS skids of 4-11 on Mondays and 2-5 after a spread-cover.
For the Cavaliers, the “over” is 5-2 in their last seven overall and their last seven against teams with winning records. The Heat are on “under” runs of 4-1 overall, 5-2 at home, 21-7 after a straight-up win and 4-1 against Central Division teams. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in each of the last four.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
Atlanta (28-14 SU and ATS) at Houston (24-19, 22-21 ATS)
The Hawks begin a stretch of 10 of 14 road games when they visit the Toyota Center for a matchup against the Rockets.
Atlanta wrapped up a 4-1 (3-2 ATS) homestand on Friday with a 103-89 win over the Bobcats, cashing as a 6 ½-point favorite. Four of their five starters reached double-digits in points with center Al Horford leading the way with 23 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks are just 10-9 (12-7 ATS) on the road this season where they averaged 98.1 points a game and allow 97.9 per contest.
Houston has won just four of its last 10 overall, but managed to cash in just two of those 10. Friday, the Rockets fell 104-97 at home to the Bulls as six-point favorites. They have lost two of four at home and failed to cash in any of those four, but for the season they are 13-6 (11-8 ATS) in front of the home fans.
The Hawks won the earlier matchup this season between these two, taking a 105-103 win at home on Nov. 20, coming up short as a seven-point chalk. The Rockets have cashed in five straight and eight of the last 10 series meetings. The home team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 clashes and the chalk has gotten the cash in seven of the last 10.
Atlanta is on positive ATS streaks of 18-7-1 against Western Conference teams and 6-2 as a road ‘dog. Houston is on ATS runs of 34-16-1 against Southeast Division teams and 7-3 after getting a day off, but it is on ATS slides of 0-4 at home, 1-5 overall, 2-5 after a non-cover and 3-7 as a favorite of up to 4 ½ points.
The Hawks are on “under” streaks of 9-3 on Mondays, 12-5 as pups, 4-1 after two days off and 6-1 after a straight-up win. Meanwhile, the Rockets are on “over” runs of 6-0 overall, 4-0 at home, 4-0 after a non-cover and 4-0 as a chalk. These two teams have topped the total in four of their last six meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Phoenix (26-19, 23-22 ATS) at Utah (25-18, 25-16-2 ATS)
The slumping Suns head to EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City to take on the red-hot Jazz in a matchup of Western Conference playoff contenders.
Phoenix has dropped five of its last seven overall and failed to cash in seven of its last nine, including Saturday’s 112-103 home win over Golden State, narrowly missing as an 11 ½-point chalk. The Suns are just 9-14 on the road (11-12 ATS) where they give up a whopping 109.8 points a game and 46.8 percent shooting.
Utah has won six of seven overall and gone 7-0-2 ATS in its last nine overall. The Jazz clobbered the Nets 116-83 at home on Saturday, covering as 16 ½-point favorites and led offensively by Mehmet Okur (20 points and 11 rebounds) and Carlos Boozer (22 points and nine rebounds). They are 17-6 (15-7-1 ATS) in front of the home fans this season and average 105.2 points a game at home and shoot an amazing 51.2 percent from the floor.
The home team has won four straight (2-2 ATS) in this rivalry and six of the last seven (3-4 ATS) overall. The two teams split last season’s four games with the host getting the win each night, however the road team is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 clashes. Utah is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings with the underdog cashing in 16 of the last 23.
Phoenix is on several ATS slides, including 1-4 overall, 2-5 on the road and 6-13-1 as a road ‘dog of 5 to 10 1/2 points. Utah is on nothing but positive ATS runs, including 12-3-1 at home, 22-8 on Mondays, 4-0 after getting a day off, 4-0-1 against the Western conference, 4-0-1 as a favorite and 5-0-2 after a straight-up win.
The Suns have topped the total in five of seven on the road, four of five as ‘dogs and nine of 11 against the Western Conference, but they have stayed “under” the total in 16 of 23 after a non-cover and nine of 12 on the road against teams with winning home records. Meanwhile, the Jazz are on “over” streaks of 5-2 overall, 5-1 on Mondays and 4-1 against Western Conference foes. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in four of the last five.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UTAH
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(12) Georgetown (15-3, 8-6 ATS) at (5) Syracuse (19-1, 12-4 ATS)
The Orange are looking for their seventh straight win as they welcome their longtime rival Georgetown to the Carrier Dome in this Big East confrontation.
The Hoyas have won two straight, including an 88-63 home blowout of Rutgers on Saturday, cashing as whopping 19½-point favorites. Four of five starters reached double digits in scoring, with Greg Monroe leading the way with 21 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Georgetown is 7-2 in games away from home (5-2 ATS), where they crank up the defensive pressure, allowing just 60.3 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting.
Syracuse had won and cashed in five straight until Saturday when the Orange beat Marquette 76-71 at home but fell short as 8½-point favorites, getting 22 points and 15 rebounds from Wesley Johnson. The Orange average 84.4 ppg at home and shoot a stellar 54.1 percent from the floor while holding the opposition to 62.1 ppg and 36.9 percent shooting.
The home team has won five straight (4-1 ATS) and seven of eight (5-3 ATS) in this rivalry with Syracuse cashing in five of the last six. The Orange scored a 98-94 OT win at home last season, cashing as 3½-point favorites. Syracuse is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in New York.
Georgetown is 5-2 ATS in the last seven road games, but it is on negative ATS streaks of 7-19 in Big East play, 4-10 on Mondays and 6-21-1 after a spread-cover. Syracuse is on a plethora of positive ATS runs, including 21-6 overall, 12-4 at home, 12-3 in Big East action and 4-0 after a non-cover.
The Hoyas have stayed “under” the total in six of seven on Mondays and six of eight after a spread-cover, but they’ve topped the total in five straight overall and five straight conference games. The Orangemen have stayed below the number in eight of 11 on Mondays and five of six after a non-cover, but they are on “over” runs of 4-1 at home and 19-7 after a straight-up win. Finally, the “over” has been the play in each of the last three head-to-head meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE
Missouri (15-4, 8-5 ATS) at (3) Kansas (18-1, 8-7-1 ATS)
Two of the top three teams in the Big 12 square off inside Allen Fieldhouse at Lawrence, Kan., as Missouri meets the Jayhawks.
The Tigers had their nine-game winning streak (4-1 ATS) snapped on Jan. 16 at Oklahoma, falling 66-61 as 3½-point road favorites. But they rebounded and clubbed Nebraska 70-53 at home on Saturday, getting the cash as a 13-point chalk. Missouri is just 2-4 (2-3 ATS) on the road this season and give up a whopping 76 points a game while managing just 74.2 with the offense on 38.4 percent shooting.
Kansas has won four straight (2-1-1 ATS) since losing their only game this season at Tennessee on Jan. 10. Saturday the Jayhawks went to Iowa State and got an 84-61 win as 11 ½-point favorites, led by Cole Aldrich’s 19 points and 11 rebounds. Kansas shoots 50.4 percent from the floor inside Allen Fieldhouse and puts up 89.5 points a game while allowing just 60.5 points and limiting the opposition to 36 percent shooting.
The Jayhawks have won six of the last seven series clashes (5-2 ATS), including a 90-65 home win as a 4 ½-point favorite last season.
Missouri has cashed in six of seven conference games and four of five overall, but the Tigers are on ATS slides of 16-35 on the road, 8-22 on the road against teams with winning home records and 1-4 on Mondays. Kansas has failed to cover in four straight after a spread-cover, but it is on several ATS streaks, including 34-16-2 overall, 35-17-1 at home, 10-1 on Mondays and 19-6-2 in Big 12 action.
The Tigers have stayed below the total in six of seven Big 12 games but they’ve gone “over” the number in six of eight road games, seven of eight Monday outings and six of eight on the road against teams with winning home records. Kansas is on several “under” runs, including 7-3 overall, 20-6 after a straight-up win, 5-1 at home, 8-2 following a spread-cover and 11-1 at home against teams with a losing road record. Finally, in this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in six of the last nine clashes dating to 2005.
ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and OVER