THE SPORTS ADVISORS
Green Bay (5-9, 7-7 ATS) at Chicago (8-6, 6-6-2 ATS)
The Bears will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive tonight when they host the rival Packers at Soldier Field.
Chicago trails the Vikings in the race for the NFC North, and even though Minnesota lost at home to the Falcons on Sunday, Chicago still needs to win its final two games and hope the Vikings lose next week at the Giants to claim the North title. The Bears are also barely alive in the NFC wild-card chase.
The Bears haven’t been on the field since Dec. 11 when they edged the Saints 27-24 in overtime, pushing as a three-point home favorite. Chicago blew a 21-10 fourth-quarter lead, then went on a 60-yard drive in the final 3:03 to get the tying field goal at the end of regulation, with QB Kyle Orton going 8-of-11 on the critical drive. RB Matt Forte, who is expected to play despite a toe injury, needs just 69 rushing yards to break the franchise’s rookie rushing record of 1,183 set by Anthony Thomas in 2001.
Green Bay has lost four straight (0-4 ATS) and six of its last seven (3-4 ATS), including last week’s 20-16 setback in Jacksonville as a 2 ½-point chalk. The Packers’ last three defeats have come by a total of 11 points, and 38 of the 79 points they’ve given up in the last three contests have come in the fourth quarter. Mike McCarthy’s squad has dropped four in a row on the road (2-2 ATS), and they’re allowing 27.1 points and 132.9 rushing yards per game away from Lambeau Field this season.
Five weeks ago, the Packers destroyed the Bears 37-3 as 3½-point ‘dogs at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, finishing with a 427-234 edge in total offense. The home team has won the last two matchups between these two (2-0 ATS) after a four-game streak by the visitor from 2005-07 (3-0-1 ATS). Also, the Packers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine trips to Soldier Field. Finally, the straight-up winner is 9-0-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Green Bay is 26-26-1 SU and 28-24-1 ATS all-time on Monday night (1-1 SU and ATS this year), while the Bears are 18-33 SU and 17-32-2 ATS under the Monday spotlight, including just 7-13-1 ATS at Soldier Field.
Green Bay is just 1-5 ATS in its last six games after a non-cover, but otherwise the team remains on positive ATS streaks of 13-5-1 on the road, 9-3-1 as a road ‘dog and 5-0 against NFC North rivals (all this season). Chicago is 0-4-1 ATS in its last five after a straight-up win and 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 as a home favorite, but the Bears are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five December games.
The Packers are on a bevy of “over” streaks, including 22-8-1 overall, 21-8-2 against NFC competition, 7-3 on Mondays, 9-2-1 on the road and 6-1 against division rivals. The Bears are on “over” runs of 20-7 at home, 20-9-1 as favorites, 5-1 in Week 16 games and 5-0 at home against teams with a losing road record.
Finally, the over is 20-6-2 in non-Sunday NFL games this year, including 12-3-1 in Monday night contests.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
NBA
Houston (18-9, 14-13 ATS) at New Jersey (13-13, 14-12 ATS)
The Rockets will try to extend their winning streak to four when they travel to East Rutherford, N.J., to take on the Nets inside the IZOD Center.
Houston, which is on the second leg of a four-game road trip, is coming off Saturdya’s 109-102 win over the Timberwolves, cashing as a 5½-point favorite. The Rockets have won five of their last six overall (4-2 ATS), they’ve scored at least 107 points in each of their last four wins and they’ve hit the century mark in points in 11 of their last 12 victories.
New Jersey has dropped five of its last seven SU and ATS, including Saturday’s 106-103 loss to the Heat as a 4½-point home favorite. With that defeat, the Nets are now just 5-9 SU and ATS at the IZOD Center, including 1-4 SU and ATS in the last five. The SU winner has cashed in all 14 of New Jersey’s home games and the winner is also 19-0 ATS in the team’s last 19 overall.
The Rockets have dominated this series over the last four years, winning seven of the last eight (6-1-1 ATS), including the last four in a row (4-0 ATS). In last year’s trip to New Jersey, Houston scored a 96-89 win, cashing as a 4½-point favorite, then followed it up with a 91-73 win in Texas as an 11-point chalk. The Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last five trips to New Jersey, and the road team is 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 clashes between these two.
Houston is on positive pointspread streaks of 49-18-1 against teams from the Eastern Conference, 13-5 as a road favorite and 8-3 on the road against teams with a losing home record. Meanwhile the Nets are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven against Southwest Division squads, but they are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 after a non-cover and 6-2 ATS in their last eight as a ‘dog.
The Rockets have gone over the total in 11 of their last 15 overall, eight of their last nine on the road and 11 of their last 16 against Atlantic Division teams. Also, New Jersey has topped the total in seven of its last 10 after a non-cover, but otherwise the Nets are on under streaks of 7-1 on Mondays and 4-1 when playing on one day of rest. Finally, the under is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings between these teams.
ATS ADVANTAGE: HOUSTON
Portland (17-10, 13-14 ATS) at Denver (17-10, 15-11-1 ATS)
The Blazers are looking for their third straight win when they head to Denver to take on the suddenly slumping Nuggets inside the Pepsi Center in the first game of a two-night, home-and-home series.
Portland got a career-night from third-year guard Brandon Roy on Thursday as he poured in 52 points to lead the Blazers to a 124-119 come-from-behind victory over the Suns, cashing as a four-point home favorite. Roy has averaged 36.4 points per game in his last five, and he’s just one of three players – along with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade – to average at least 23 points, five assists and four rebounds per game this season.
Denver has followed up a four-game winning streak (3-1 ATS) with a three-game SU and ATS losing skid. After getting blown out 105-88 by the Cavs as a two-point home chalk on Friday, the Nuggets went to Phoenix on Saturday and fell 108-101 as a 5½-point underdog. Carmelo Anthony was averaging nearly 30 points a game during the Nuggets’ four-game winning streak, but he’s putting up just 15 points a game during the three-game slide.
George Karl’s Nuggets have won seven of the last 10 meetings with Portland (6-4 ATS), including four of the last six (SU and ATS). The last time these two met in the Mile High City was a year ago, when the Blazers got a 116-105 win as a nine-point pup. Despite that result, Denver is 22-8-1 ATS in the last 31 series clashes, including 11-5 ATS in the last 16 at the Pepsi Center.
Portland is 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games after getting three or more days off, but otherwise the Blazers are on ATS slides of 2-7 overall, 0-5 on the road, 1-4 against the Northwest Division and 6-20 on Mondays. Denver is on positive ATS streaks of 5-2 after a straight-up loss and 5-1 after a day off.
For the Blazers, the under is on streaks of 10-4 overall, 19-7 as a road ‘dog, 6-1 on the highway and 22-9-1 when getting at least three days off. The under is also 4-1 in Denver’s last five overall, but otherwise the Nuggets are on “over” streaks of 38-17 against the Northwest Division, 7-2 at home and 8-3 as a favorite. Also, the over is 7-3 in the last 10 overall meetings between these rivals and 9-2 in the last 11 clashes in Denver.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DENVER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(24) Marquette (9-2, 2-4-1 ATS) at N.C. State (7-1, 3-1 ATS)
The Wolfpack will try to remain perfect inside the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., when they entertain Marquette in a non-conference showdown.
North Carolina State’s only loss this season came back on Dec. 6, a 72-67 defeat at the hands of Davidson in a neutral-site game in Charlotte, N.C., but the Wolfpack got the cash as eight-point ‘dogs. They have since won three straight at home, including Saturday’s 78-58 blowout of Lipscomb in an unlined contest. N.C. State has been getting it done on defense this season, allowing just 58.4 points and 35.4 percent shooting.
Marquette began last week with Tuesday’s 80-68 loss to Tennessee, falling short as a 5½-point underdog, but bounced back with Friday’s 94-77 home win over Western Carolina, pushing as 17-point favorites. The Golden Eagles average 81 points per game and have reached the 100-point mark twice this season.
N.C. State carries negative pointspread trends of 8-22-1 overall, 4-11-1 at home and 3-7 against teams with a winning record. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles are just 0-4-1 ATS in their last five overall, but they are on positive pointspread streaks of 8-3 on the road and 7-3 on the road against teams with a winning home record.
For Marquette, the over is on runs of 41-20-2 at home and 40-16-2 on the road against teams with a winning home record. The Wolfpack are on “over” streaks of 19-7 overall, 4-0 at home, 5-1-1 against the Big East and 11-1 after a straight-up win.
N.C. State holds a 2-1 all-time edge over Marquette, but the schools haven’t met since the 1991-92 season.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Georgia Tech (7-2, 3-2 ATS) at USC (7-3, 4-5 ATS)
Georgia Tech concludes its two-game West Coast swing with a stop at the Galen Center in Los Angeles to face the Trojans in a non-conference matchup.
The Yellow Jackets played in nearby Malibu, Calif., on Saturday, hammering Pepperdine 86-58 and cashing as a 15-point favorite. In two road games this season, Georgia Tech is averaging 84 points and shooting 50 percent from the field, including 33.3 percent from the 3-point line.
USC is 6-0 at home this season (2-3 ATS), but barely edged North Dakota State 61-57 in a non-lined contest Saturday. Like Georgia Tech, the Trojans also destroyed Pepperdine, beating the Waves 91-77 a week ago but coming up short as 25½-point home favorites. USC, which has alternated ATS wins and losses in its last seven lined games, gives up just 60.2 points and 37.8 percent shooting inside the Galen Center.
While the Yellow Jackets are 3-1 ATS in their last four lined games overall and 6-0 ATS when coming off a victory of more than 20 points, the Trojans are on negative ATS streaks of 1-4 after a straight-up win, 1-5 against teams with a winning record and 1-8 at home against teams with a winning road record.
For Georgia Tech, the under is on streaks of 5-2 on the road, 7-3 in non-conference games and 4-1 on Mondays. Conversely, the Trojans are on “over” runs of 9-3 at home, 4-0 in non-conference games and 4-1 on Mondays.
ATS ADVANTAGE: GEORGIA TECH
