SPORTS WAGERS NBA
NEW ORLEANS +4/+166 over Utah
It's not easy to pull the trigger on the Hornets and their 4-23 record. Only the Bobcats have less wins. Slightly better is New Orleans’ 10-17 against the spread and they play the final game of a four-game home stand before embarking on a six-game trip. We expect them to dig down deep. We've seen the Hornets compete against some good teams. While losing is both frustrating and contagious, the Hornets haven’t given up. We get as good an effort from them as we do most teams on most nights. The Jazz are 14-12, largely aided by an 11-5 home mark. On the road, they have just three wins in 10 games. They had two wins prior to last night's win in Memphis and will now play its third game in four days here. The Jazz also play in Oklahoma City tomorrow night after losing to them in Salt Lake on Friday. The Jazz are a huge risk as road chalk under good conditions. Under these tough conditions, that risk increases. Play: New Orleans +4 (Risking 1.06 units to win 1) Play: New Orleans +166 (Risking 1 unit).
Minnesota +193 +5½ over ORLANDO
The Magic are a talented bunch and have been for years. Over the past five years, you would be hard pressed to find a team with a better overall record in the East. This season, Orlando is 17-11 despite the Dwight Howard ordeal hanging overhead. Still, Orlando has taken more nights off this season than most. Find them in an undesirable spot and chances are you'll cash your ticket. With five wins in seven games, including a win over the Heat and with the 76ers on deck, this could certainly be one such spot. Orlando played in Philly less than two weeks ago and scored a paltry 69 points. The final score read 74-69 but Philly was up 21 with three minutes to go. A game against the Western conference Timberwolves is unlikely to get their juices flowing. Minnesota comes in erratic but very dangerous. They have all the right pieces in place with a strong coach in Rick Adelman, a thunderous power forward in Kevin Love, an outstanding rookie at PG in Ricky Rubio and a strong center in Nikola Pekovic. The T-Wolves are just two games under .500 and appear to be on the verge of something good. Against what should be a semi-interested Magic squad here, they can certainly come in and steal a win. Play: Minnesota +5½ (Risking 1.05 units to win 1) Play: Minnesota +193 (Risking 1 unit).
SPORTS WAGERS NHL
Carolina +145 over MONTREAL
The Canadiens are playing much better lately. They're on a four-game winning streak in which they outscored the opposition 15-4. They're coming off that convincing 5-0 victory in Toronto on Saturday night and all this has them overpriced. The Habs are still the same team they were two weeks ago. They had 18 shots on net Saturday and scored five times. Two others wins came against Winnipeg and the Islanders, the former at home. Montreal has its biggest rivals on deck, the Bruins on Wednesday, thus, this game is sandwiched betweeen Toronto and Boston. Carolina comes in rested and having picked up points in eight of its past nine games. The Canes are healthy, they're playing their best hockey of the season and there's no question that they're being undervalued here against a Montreal club in an unfavorable spot. We're going to play this one in regulation only because the Canes have lost five straight in extra time. Play: Carolina +145 (Risking 2 units).