Service Plays Saturday 3/26/11

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gold Sheet

Indiana 108 - DETROIT 104—Indiana has dominated Detroit over the past
few seasons, winning 7 of last 8 SU and covering 8 of last 10. Pistons’ OT win
over the Pacers at the Palace Feb. 16 snapped Indiana’s 4-game cover streak
there. Pacers are playing pretty well on the road recently, recording SU wins at
Charlotte, New Jersey & New York in their last 5 away from Indianapolis.
“Palace Revolt” against Piston HC John Kuester is still on (players reportedly
call him Sean Penn, as in the movie Dead Man Walking), and the franchise
might be on the verge of a purge from top to bottom. At the very least, several
players will be shuffled out, and a new coach is evidently in the cards as well,
and GM Joe Dumars might come under fire from new ownership. Pacer F
Danny Granger (snapped out of shooting slump vs. Charlotte) and C Roy
Hibbert have hurt the Pistons, combining for 41 ppg while shooting 57% in first
2 meetings. Since last meeting on Feb. 23, Indiana PF Tyler Hansbrough has
broken out, scoring 19 ppg and taking 8 rpg while shooting 52%. His presence
should help Pacers control Detroit rookie Greg Monroe, who led the Pistons
with 27 pts. & 12 boards in last meeting. "Totals" notes: Detroit “over” 25-11
at the Palace this season despite being “under” last 3 at home. Indiana
“under” 7-3 last 10 on the road. 10-DET +1' 115-109 (OT-199), IND -8 102-101
(204); 09-Ind +3' 105-93 (200), IND -3' 107-83 (200), IND -2 106-102 (203), Ind
+4 98-83 (207)

Chicago 93 - MILWAUKEE 80—Have to ride Chicago side that’s “bullied”
its way to a 20-6 pointspread run prior to hosting Memphis last night. Bulls
have been less effective in 2nd night of back-to-back games (just 11-8 vs. the
number this season), but not sure Milwaukee really ready to deal with nowhealthy
Chicago side that’s won and covered first three against the Bucks
while holding them to just 78 ppg. Bull HC Tom Thibodeau has made a huge
difference in Chicago’s defensive effectiveness this season, and Milwaukee
has been an easy team to stop, as the Bucks rank last in the league in scoring
and field goal percentage. Recent “surge” by Milwaukee has seen the Bucks
cover 7 of 10 before playing in New York last night. However, Milwaukee is
just 2-5 vs. the number this season hosting “A” teams such as Chicago, and
not sure return of PF Drew Gooden and G Michael Redd (from his major knee
surgery) will immediately impact Buck HC Scott Skiles’ rotation or help the
anemic offense. "Totals" notes: Milwaukee “under” 26-10 at home, while
defensively-stout Chicago “under” 41-28 this season. 10-CHI -9 90-77 (180),
CHI -7' 92-83 (178), Chi -3' 83-75 (182); 09-CHI -8' 83-81 (192), MIL -3 99-97
(194), MIL -3' 96-93 (193), Mil +5' 79-74 (191) CABLE TV—WGN

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hammer The Book

NBA
4- NJ Nets +10
3- Pistons -2
4- OVER-177 1/2 (Bulls/Bucks)

MARCH MADNESS
3.5- Gators -3 1/2
3- Arizona +3

NHL
3- NY Rangers ML +160
4- Sabres ML -123
3- Capitals ML +125
4- Blues ML +120

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gold Sheet

Butler 67 - Florida 64—These two squads are squaring off for the
third time in the Big Dance, with Florida winning both and eventually
advancing to the title game. Back in 2000, in their first-rounder at
Winston-Salem, Gator star G Mike Miller hit a runner in the lane at the
buzzer to win 69-68 in overtime after Butler missed two foul shots with
8 secs. left! UF eventually lost to Michigan State for that championship.
In 2007, Florida overcame a 9-point deficit and pulled away behind the
play of C Al Horford in a 65-57 win in the Midwest regional semifinal on
the way to UF’s second consecutive national crown.
Does history repeat in 2011? We don’t think so. Sure, the uptempo,
balanced Gators (4 starters in DDs) own a size advantage up front vs.
the Bulldogs, with 6-8 F Alex Tyus (9 ppg, 6 rpg.; 19 pts. & 17 rebs. vs.
BYU) coming off a spectacular clutch performance in Florida’s 83-74
OT victory on Thursday. As we had anticipated, UF managed to exploit
an undermanned Cougar forecourt (sans 6-9 PF Brandon Davies). But
don’t see the Gators’ 6-9 all-star F Chandler Parsons and mates
pushing around Butler’s tough-as-nails “bigs,” who have already
overcome the top two rebounding teams in the nation (Old Dominion
and Pitt) in earlier rounds. Recognize that UF’s motion, pick and roll
offense got into a rhythm when its Gs resorted to more penetrating and
dishing in the second half vs. BYU. But 5-8 jr. Erving Walker and 6-2
soph Kenny Boynton will have trouble executing as proficiently vs. the
Bulldogs’ nasty perimeter defenders—NBA prospect 6-3 sr. Shelvin
Mack, unsung 6-2 sr. Shawn Vanzant, and ace stopper 6-0 jr. Ronald
Nored. Butler’s hounding, helping man-to-man—anchored by 6-11
soph C Andrew Smith (expected to be fine after tweaking an ankle vs.
Wiscy)—did an outstanding job frustrating the Badgers’ consummate
PG, Jordan Taylor (who scored a mere 6 pts. in the first 30 minutes),
while limiting UW’s normally dead-eye bombers to a season-low 7 of 29
from tripleville and forcing 8 TOs in the first half.
On the other end, the Gator defense, fresh off its focused effort vs.
BYU’s Jimmer Fredette, now must face a much better-balanced foe, as
good-shooting (nearly 8 treys pg), error-free Butler (only 11 TOs pg) is
spearheaded by “money” performer Mack (19 ppg in the Big Dance TY)
and the unflappable, versatile 6-8 sr. F Matt Howard (17 ppg, 8 rpg).
The latter has shown he now knows how to stay out of foul trouble and
to score in a variety of ways. Moreover, as was clearly evident in the win
over the Cougars, the SEC rep still suffers from occasional scoring
spells (10 straight possessions without a bucket), has a tendency to
settle for too many 3-pointers (attempted a whopping 32 treys), and is
beset by FT issues again (66% on year; only 10 of 22 vs. BYU).
Yes, the Gators’ super-successful, 15-year mentor Billy Donovan (a
Rick Pitino disciple) is a master strategist. But he won’t outfox the
Bulldogs’ 34-year-old wunderkind, Brad Stevens, who has compiled an
eye-popping 116-24 SU mark (including a 15-2 record in March) since
taking over in 2007-08. “We set high standards for ourselves,” says
academic All-American Howard. “We feel we can beat anyone.” So do
we. Hence, look for methodical, underdog-thriving Butler (5 straight
covers in that role in last two NCAAs) to control the tempo in capturing
its 13th consecutive victory this season and advance to the Final Four
for the second straight campaign in yet another nail-biter.


Connecticut 73 - Arizona 65—One of the fundamental rules of
handicapping is not to be overly influenced by a team’s most recent
performance. But we must confess that it’s not easy to keep Arizona’s
Sweet 16 victory over Duke in proper prospective so soon after the
Wildcats’ stunning smackdown of the West’s No. 1-seeded Blue
Devils. Indeed, the memory of U of A destroying the defending NCAA
champs in a hail of highlight-reel dunks and three-point bombs is fresh
enough that taking the Wildcats plus a few points might not seem like
a bad idea at this point even if they were facing the L.A. Lakers.
Still, while giving due consideration to that eye-opening Arizona
victory, it’s always important to keep in mind the simple fact that
individual matchups change from one game to the next. And
Connecticut is a decidedly different animal than Duke. The Wildcats
turned out to be waaaaay too athletic for the Devils (especially in the
frontcourt), heaping 55 second-half points on Coach K’s bedazzled
bunch, thanks in large part to a 25-9 rebounding advantage. That
decisive edge on the glass helped the Wildcats shoot better than 58%
from the field after intermission, including 24 points in the paint. We
doubt very much, however, that such naked aggression around the
hoop will be possible against the physical Huskies. UConn went toe to
toe on the boards with San Diego State, one of the top rebounding
teams in the country, during Thursday’s hard-fought victory over the
Aztecs. And smart 6-9 soph F/C Alex Oriakhi and his maturing Husky
frontline mates figure to severely limit the number of unimpeded forays
to the bucket that stud F Derrick Williams and the other Arizona “bigs”
were allowed the other night.
It’s true that UConn has no frontcourt scorer close to the caliber of
Williams, who, playing just a few miles from where he starred in high
school, had many friends and family among the teeming Wildcat throng
at the Honda Center Thursday. And the 6-8 Williams’ ability to do
damage from the perimeter (he hit 5 of 6 three-point attempts against
Duke) surely has NBA scouts salivating. Still, if the Huskies do hold
their own in the paint defensively, their superior backcourt could prove
the difference in the game. Those waiting for jr. G Kemba Walker to
cool off are still waiting, as he’s been consistently brilliant throughout
the Big East Tourney and Big Dance. The UConn “bigs” might not be
major scoring threats on their own, but they set stiff screens for Walker
and vigorously crash the offensive boards. Plus, frosh PG Shabazz
Napier (10 assists, only 1 turnover in last 2 games) has learned how
best to get Walker the ball in position for him to attack, and smooth 6-
5 fellow frosh Jeremy Lamb (double-digit points in eight straight games;
24 vs. San Diego State) has blossomed into a steady complement to
the Huskies’ main man.
We must acknowledge that smart young U of A head coach &
former Xavier mentor Sean Miller is now 10-2-1 vs. the spread in NCAA
tourney games. But we think UConn’s venerable Jim Calhoun holds
the slightly stronger hand in this clash. His Huskies have won &
covered their last eight games, as the team’s supporting players have
become more comfortable in their roles alongside the incomparable
Walker. And, in a close game, Walker’s ability to get to the free-throw
line (more than 10 attempts per game during his last nine outings) and
cash in those trips to the charity stripe (82% on the season) is a major
asset. Also favor “under” in this matchup, as the total (145 at TGS press
time) appears to be a little inflated due to the Wildcats’ second-half
exploits against the Blue Devils.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gold Sheet

★ EAST TENNESSEE STATE 78 - Iona 70—There are some
well-known home-court edges across the country (Cameron Indoor
Stadium at Duke, a prime example), but there are also several lesserknown
snake pits that are quite distracting for the opposition. The
Mountain States Center, East Tennessee’s home base in Johnson City,
is just one of those places, due in part to an unusual backdrop caused
by open spaces behind the buckets because of the dome’s
configuration as a former football field when the Bucs used to play the
sport. The distractions might be more real than imagined, too, as ETSU
has rolled at home over capable Furman and road-worthy Ohio
(previously 8-0 as a visiting dog) in the first two rounds of the CIT. It’s
worth noting that both the Paladins and Bobcats, perhaps having
difficulties with the odd surroundings, started slowly in their respective
games, with each shooting more poorly than usual (Furman only 42%,
Ohio a mere 39%). Indeed, only Atlantic Sun heavyweight Belmont was
able to escape Johnson City with a SU win this season, and 10 of the
Bucs’ 13 home wins came by 13 points or more. As regional sources
insist, this is no imagined home-court edge at ETSU.
Still, Metro-Atlantic rep Iona will enter Johnson City with plenty of
confidence after winning 11 of its last 12 games, including an
impressive road conquest of well-regarded Valparaiso in the first round
of this event. But the host Bucs will test the Gaels’ sometimesquestionable
defensive resolve with sr. F Mike Smith, who scored 32
last week vs. Furman and has set career scoring highs in 4 of his last 6
home games, as well as with explosive 6-3 G Justin Tubbs, a highlightreel
matchup nightmare who found his 3-point stroke vs. Ohio (nailing
7 triples) while almost single-handedly taking apart the Bobcat
defense. Indeed, with four DD scorers all returning from HC Murry
Bartow’s NCAA team LY, ETSU has enough balance to compensate if
one of its normal weapons struggles (such as Tubbs stepping up when
Smith went cold vs. Ohio). Iona has some compelling weapons as well
in 6-7 PF Michael Glover (17.9 ppg) and heady PG Scott Machado
(13.4 ppg and 7.5 apg), but we don’t know if the Gaels have enough of
them to keep pace, especially at such an intimidating venue.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SportsAction365 FRANK "BIG MONEY" SANTILLI

200* Butler UNDER 133
200* Arizona OVER 145
200* Iona -2.5
100* Atlanta Hawks-10
100* Milwaukee Bucks +6

 

[patriots12]

Craig Davis

March Mayhem Bounce Back Lock

20 Dime Arizona

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

APPLE HANDICAPPERS

ALBERT SCHIPANI
3 Dime Red Delicious ETSU+3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Football Jesus Sat Text : Over in NYKnicks/Bobcats

 

[goldencontender]

GC College Hoops Power AnglE pLAY

Saturday NCAAB 22-0 Tournament Game of the Year + 2 big NBA Power Systems from 96% and 100% Systems. Free College Hoops Play below

On Saturday The College Insider Tournament semi finals selection is on Iona. Game 517 at 7:00 eastern. While both teams have identical records here at 24-11. Iona is the better team from a stronger conference and has beaten better teams in Buffalo and Valparaiso to get here. They have won 12 of 18 vs winning teams and 5 of 6 tournament Semi finals games. East Tennessee St has lost 6 of 7 times as an underdog and 5 of 6 times vs teams who average 77 or more points per game. They are also 0-2 at home when the total is 145 to 150. Iona have better all around numbers. Lay the small number with Iona. On Saturday I have the 2011 NCAAB 22-0 Tournament Game of the Year. This game is backed with solid systems and 5 big Power angles. In the NBA There are 2 plays up from 96% and 100% systems that date to 1995. NBA is 15 games over .500 for the year. For the Bonus Play take Iona in the College Insider Tournament. GC

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Keith Glantz

50* Arizona
50* Florida

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SuperSPortsGroup

Arizona v. UConn 7pm
9* PICK: OVER 67.5 1H Hidden Gem
8* PICK: OVER 145 Game
8* PICK: Arizona +2.5 Game

 

[Garden]

PPP
3 Uconn
Opinion But

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Scott Spreitzer

10* ELITE-8 KNOCKOUT BLOWOUT!
Florida Gators

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

TEXAS SPORTS WIRE

CBB
Butler

NBA
Chicago Bulls

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Brandon lang

100 dime double your wager game of the year
florida gators

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

ATS LOCK CLUB

4 UNIT Connecticut -3
4 UNIT Florida -3.5

 

[canadianbookie]

SPORTSHANDICAPPERKING


30 dime CBK UCONN -2.5


NBA Freeplay New York -4.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Richie Carrera

15 Dimes Florida -4 over Butler
The fairy tale that is Butler, ends today. If you have followed me in the past, you know that I am by no means a Gators fan, but over the course of this season, they have proved themselves to be a very complete team. I recognized this and in doing so, hit some big plays involving Florida. Florida has the size and strength to dominate Butler. It was an improbable run, featuring that shocker at Pitt, that whitewashing of Wisconsin, but I just don't see them matching up well against the Gators. After all, the Gators just disposed of a very good BYU team. Lay the chalk and let's watch Florida cruise to the final 4.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

John Chang

Chicago Bulls -6 over MILWAUKEE BUCKS, 10 dimes
The Bulls are finally a healthy team, and it's not a surprise at all that they've ripped off 11 wins in their last 12 games, and covered the number in 7 out of their last 10. This team has everything is place for a run at the title, and I don't see Milwaukee keeping it close against this obviously superior team tonight. The Bulls have won SU and ATS in all three meetings between these two clubs this season. Chicago is a class above Milwaukee in shooting percentage, scoring, defense, rebounding, assists, and shooting from behind the arch. Did I mention Chicago is the number 2 defense in the land? That isn't going to matchup well for the Bucks, who hold the unfortunate title of the very worst offensive team in the NBA. Only 6 points here? Let's take advantage of this kind pointspread.

DETROIT PISTONS -3 over Indiana Pacers, 10 dimes
Tough to back either one of these terrible teams, but we have to take into account the situational factors in this instance. The most notable of which is how well these teams play on back to back nights. Both clubs played last night, but Indiana has shown that they're downright anemic when playing two days in a row (5-15 over last 20.) Despite a 8-10 record in the second games of back to backs, Detroit gets the nod because they are playing at home, where they've gone a respectable 4-1 ATS over their last five. The Pistons have covered the number both times these teams have met this season, and Chang is confident they'll get it done with ease tonight. Take the home team here guys.

NHL Selections:
St. Louis Blues +100 over MINNESOTA WILD, 10 dimes
Washington Capitals +115 over MONTREAL CANADIENS, 10 dimes
New York Rangers/BOSTON BRUINS under 5, 10 dimes

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Randy Bruce

NCAA BB:
10 dimes Florida -4

NBA:
10 dimes Mavericks/Jazz Over 202.5