THE SPORTS ADVISORS
Tampa Bay (9-3, 7-5 ATS) at Carolina (9-3, 6-4-2 ATS)
Sole possession of first place in the NFC South is on the line tonight when the Buccaneers visit Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to face the Panthers.
Tampa Bay is a four-game winning streak (2-2 ATS), including last weekend’s 23-20 home win over the Saints, just missing as a 3½-point favorite. QB Jeff Garcia has been the catalyst for the Bucs’ offense, completing 67.2 percent of his throws with eight TDs and three INTs. Garcia has never lost to the Panthers, going 5-0 with 1,178 yards, nine TDs and three INTs.
Carolina has won five of its last six (3-3 ATS) and return home after two straight road games – a 45-28 loss in Atlanta back on Nov. 23 as a one-point ‘dog, and last week’s 35-31 come-from-behind victory at Green Bay as a three-point underdog at Lambeau Field. RB DeAngelo Williams rushed for four scores against the Packers and he leads the Panthers with 955 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
These division rivals have alternated wins and losses in the last four meetings with each squad getting a home and road win. Back on Oct. 12, Tampa scored a 27-3 victory at home as a one-point chalk with the Bucs’ defense dominating with three interceptions and outrushing Carolina 142-40, limiting Williams to 27 yards on 11 carries.
Carolina has won seven of the last 10 meetings in this rivalry (6-4 ATS), and the Panthers are 5-2 ATS in the last seven clashes at home. Finally, the underdog is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 series meeting and the straight-up winner is 9-1 ATS since 2003.
Tampa Bay is 8-8 SU and 9-7 ATS on Monday nights (2-5 SU and ATS on the road), while Carolina is 14-9 SU (14-8-1 ATS) under the Monday night spotlight (10-5 SU, 10-4-1 ATS at home).
The Bucs are just 1-4 ATS in their last five on the road against teams with a winning home record, but otherwise they are on pointspread streaks of 5-2 against teams with a winning record and 7-3 against NFC South rivals. The Panthers are on ATS slides of 1-4 after a straight-up win and 1-4 in Week 14 games, but they are on positive spread streaks of 6-2-1 at home, 9-3-1 on grass and 6-1 in December.
Tampa Bay has topped the total in eight of its last 10 road games, but otherwise the Bucs are on “under” streaks of 6-2 overall, 6-2 on Monday nights, 5-1 against NFC foes and 5-0 against teams with a winning record. Carolina has gone over the posted number four of its last five overall, in four straight against the NFC and eight of 11 December games, but the Panthers are on “under” runs of 10-3 at home, 7-2 against NFC South rivals and 9-4 after a straight-up win.
Finally, the over is 11-3 in Monday night contests this season.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CAROLINA
NBA
Orlando (15-5, 10-9-1 ATS) at L.A. Clippers (4-16, 8-12 ATS)
The Magic begin a five-game road trip with a stop in Los Angeles for a matchup with the lowly Clippers inside the Staples Center.
Orlando has won six of its last seven overall (4-3 ATS), including Friday’s 98-89 home win over Oklahoma City, but failed to cover as 13-point favorites. Dwight Howard (21 points, 23 rebounds) got his 16th career 20-point, 20-rebound game. The Magic, who are 15-3 SU since starting the season with consecutive losses, have been tough on the highway, going 6-2 (4-3-1 ATS).
Los Angeles returns home after a four-game road trip that saw them go 1-3 SU, but 3-1 ATS. The lone win came Saturday in Minnesota, when the Clippers rolled 107-84 as one-point ‘dogs. Marcus Camby had his third straight double-double with 12 points and 19 rebounds to go with seven blocks against the T’Wolves.
Orlando has won three straight in this series (2-0-1 ATS), sweeping the two matchups last season. The Magic prevailed 113-106 in Los Angeles as four-point favorites, then scored a 110-88 home win as a 15-point chalk. The favorite is 7-0-1 ATS in the last eight clashes, while the Clippers are 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight meetings in Los Angeles.
Orlando is on positive ATS streaks of 7-3 against Pacific Division teams, 37-15-1 following an ATS loss, 4-1-1 when playing on two days of rest and 4-0 on the road against teams with a losing home record. Los Angeles is 5-1 ATS in its last six overall, but otherwise the Clippers are mired in pointspread funks of 6-20 at home, 8-24 following an spread-cover, 3-8 against the Eastern Conference, 7-19 on Mondays and 7-21 following a straight-up win.
For the Magic, the over is 4-1 in their last five Monday games and 5-2 in their last seven against Western Conference teams, but they have stayed under in four of their last five road games and 26 of their last 37 contests following a straight-up win. For Los Angeles, the over is 5-2 in its last seven at home, 19-7 in its last 26 against Southeast Division teams and 4-1 in its last five against the Eastern Conference. Also, three of the last four Magic-Clippers clashes at Staples Center have topped the total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ORLANDO