Kent Elola
5,000 units-------- Baltimore -1.5 1st half
5,000 units-------- Baltimore -3 (Defense just to good).
5,000 units-------- Green Bay +1.5 1st half
5,000 units--------Green bay +3
5,000 units--------Green Bay/Philly under 23.5 1st half
5,000 units--------Green Bay/Philly under 46.5
Email me for 2nd half lines
*Paid and Confirmed*
5,000 units-------- Baltimore -1.5 1st half
5,000 units-------- Baltimore -3 (Defense just to good).
5,000 units-------- Green Bay +1.5 1st half
5,000 units--------Green bay +3
5,000 units--------Green Bay/Philly under 23.5 1st half
5,000 units--------Green Bay/Philly under 46.5
Email me for 2nd half lines
*Paid and Confirmed*
Randle Handle 2-0 saturday
KANSAS CITY +3 +1.05 over Baltimore Sports Interaction
Many believe disposing of the Chiefs will be an easy task for these battle-tested Ravens. We’re not so sure. Baltimore may have had a tougher schedule but that could work in the underdog’s favor. The Ravens appeared tired and worn in its final two games, both of which Baltimore needed to win in pursuit of its best possible playoff seeding. Joe Flacco’s passing game really took a dive as the Ravens amassed a puny 227 yards combined in that final pair against the inferior Browns and Bengals respectively. The Chiefs have been solid all season long. They were especially tough at this venue, winning 7 of 8 here while allowing a meager 14.5 points per game. In addition to its unheralded defense, the Chiefs offence has played unnoticeably well. QB Matt Cassel threw for 27 touchdowns on the year, compared to only seven picks. Even with their efficient passing game, KC’s offensive strength has been its run game, averaging in excess of a league-leading 164 yards per contest. RB Jamaal Charles led the Chiefs’ charge with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and even if the Ravens have some success at slowing the gifted back down, there are enough talented players at the skill positions to pick up the slack. It’s been awhile since the Chiefs have hosted a playoff game. This is not an easy venue to win at during the best of times. On this day, when it will be louder than usual and with a competent team on the field, there is no reason to not accept the points being offered. Play: Kansas City +3 +1.05 (Risking 2 units).
Green Bay ml +1.22 over PHILADELPHIA Sports Interaction
The Eagles have been an exciting team to follow this season, mainly because of the resurgence of QB Michael Vick. There are other very talented offensive players on the Philly side and containing this multi-dimensional offense will be no easy task. However, if there is an NFC team that has the best chance of doing so, it is likely to be these Packers. Green Bay allowed a measly 240 points on the season. Only the Steelers allowed less. The Bears were the closest NFC team but allowed 46 more than their division rival. These two combatants ended up with identical 10-6 records on the year but when we look at the losses, one might be amazed to find that the Pack never lost any of its games by more than 4 points. In fact, of Green Bay’s six losses, four were by three points, two by four points and two of the defeats occurred in overtime. The Pack’s excellent defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, will have had the luxury of seeing Vick in the team’s season opener. If any coach can game plan for the elusive scrambler, Capers is more than capable. Philly’s final two games of the season, did not instill much confidence either as these Birds dropped a pair to less-talented Vikings and Cowboys. The Packers have big strike ability of their own and with the skilled Aaron Rodgers leading the charge, we anticipate the Packers getting by this wild-card opener. Play Green Bay +1.22 (Risking 2 units).
KANSAS CITY +3 +1.05 over Baltimore Sports Interaction
Many believe disposing of the Chiefs will be an easy task for these battle-tested Ravens. We’re not so sure. Baltimore may have had a tougher schedule but that could work in the underdog’s favor. The Ravens appeared tired and worn in its final two games, both of which Baltimore needed to win in pursuit of its best possible playoff seeding. Joe Flacco’s passing game really took a dive as the Ravens amassed a puny 227 yards combined in that final pair against the inferior Browns and Bengals respectively. The Chiefs have been solid all season long. They were especially tough at this venue, winning 7 of 8 here while allowing a meager 14.5 points per game. In addition to its unheralded defense, the Chiefs offence has played unnoticeably well. QB Matt Cassel threw for 27 touchdowns on the year, compared to only seven picks. Even with their efficient passing game, KC’s offensive strength has been its run game, averaging in excess of a league-leading 164 yards per contest. RB Jamaal Charles led the Chiefs’ charge with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and even if the Ravens have some success at slowing the gifted back down, there are enough talented players at the skill positions to pick up the slack. It’s been awhile since the Chiefs have hosted a playoff game. This is not an easy venue to win at during the best of times. On this day, when it will be louder than usual and with a competent team on the field, there is no reason to not accept the points being offered. Play: Kansas City +3 +1.05 (Risking 2 units).
Green Bay ml +1.22 over PHILADELPHIA Sports Interaction
The Eagles have been an exciting team to follow this season, mainly because of the resurgence of QB Michael Vick. There are other very talented offensive players on the Philly side and containing this multi-dimensional offense will be no easy task. However, if there is an NFC team that has the best chance of doing so, it is likely to be these Packers. Green Bay allowed a measly 240 points on the season. Only the Steelers allowed less. The Bears were the closest NFC team but allowed 46 more than their division rival. These two combatants ended up with identical 10-6 records on the year but when we look at the losses, one might be amazed to find that the Pack never lost any of its games by more than 4 points. In fact, of Green Bay’s six losses, four were by three points, two by four points and two of the defeats occurred in overtime. The Pack’s excellent defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, will have had the luxury of seeing Vick in the team’s season opener. If any coach can game plan for the elusive scrambler, Capers is more than capable. Philly’s final two games of the season, did not instill much confidence either as these Birds dropped a pair to less-talented Vikings and Cowboys. The Packers have big strike ability of their own and with the skilled Aaron Rodgers leading the charge, we anticipate the Packers getting by this wild-card opener. Play Green Bay +1.22 (Risking 2 units).
BANG THE BOOK
Sunday's Best NFL Bets
Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs (+3, 40.5)
The Baltimore Ravens are a Wild Card in NFL playoff betting action for the third straight season. They are hoping that this is the third straight year that they can get into the divisional round of the tournament for the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
With 12 wins in tote, the argument could be made that this is the best version of the Ravens since the one that won the Super Bowl with QB Trent Dilfer at quarterback, and the argument could even be made that this one is even better than that. There’s no doubt that QB Joe Flacco is better than Dilfer was, as the former Delaware Blue Hen threw for 3,622 yards and 25 TDs on the season. He might be leading an offense that ranks just No. 22 overall and No. 16 in scoring, but there is clearly a lot of talent on this side. RB Ray Rice is one of the best all-purpose backs in the league, as he rushed for 1,223 yards and had 556 yards receiving, totaling six TDs. WR Derrick Mason has been a superstar for years, and this season was no different. He had 61 catches for 802 yards and seven scores. WR Anquan Boldin became, without a doubt, the best No. 2 receiver that this team has had since moving from Cleveland, putting up virtually identical numbers. We also know that this defense is outstanding, led by S Ed Reed, who led the league in picks with eight in spite of the fact that he only played in 10 games in 2010.
In previous years, if the Chiefs didn’t get anything going on the ground, they were in a lot of trouble. Now, it’s true that this squad does feel like it would fall in line with that statement, as this was the only club that even flirted with the idea of having a pair of 1,000 yard backs on the season. RBs Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones combined for 475 carries and over 2,300 yards on the season. However, QB Matt Cassel had one of the better TD/INT ratios on the season in the league at 27/7, and that number was only that bad because of the fact that he tossed two picks in a relatively meaningless Week 17 encounter with the Oakland Raiders. WR Dwayne Bowe caught 72 passes for 1,162 yards and a league high 15 TDs, and he is on his way to the Pro Bowl this year. Don’t forget about the defense either, which has a number of fantastic athletes like rookie S Eric Berry (77 tackles, 4 INTs, 2 sacks) and DE Tamba Hali (14.5 sacks, 37 tackles).
The Chiefs should put up a great fight in this one, but when push comes to shove, the last three home playoff games here at Arrowhead Stadium have all gone the way of the visitors. Baltimore is just a better team, and it should show in NFL betting action on Sunday, setting up a rematch of last year’s playoffs one way or the other for the Ravens.
NFL WILDCARD PICK: Baltimore Ravens -3
Sunday's Best NFL Bets
Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs (+3, 40.5)
The Baltimore Ravens are a Wild Card in NFL playoff betting action for the third straight season. They are hoping that this is the third straight year that they can get into the divisional round of the tournament for the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
With 12 wins in tote, the argument could be made that this is the best version of the Ravens since the one that won the Super Bowl with QB Trent Dilfer at quarterback, and the argument could even be made that this one is even better than that. There’s no doubt that QB Joe Flacco is better than Dilfer was, as the former Delaware Blue Hen threw for 3,622 yards and 25 TDs on the season. He might be leading an offense that ranks just No. 22 overall and No. 16 in scoring, but there is clearly a lot of talent on this side. RB Ray Rice is one of the best all-purpose backs in the league, as he rushed for 1,223 yards and had 556 yards receiving, totaling six TDs. WR Derrick Mason has been a superstar for years, and this season was no different. He had 61 catches for 802 yards and seven scores. WR Anquan Boldin became, without a doubt, the best No. 2 receiver that this team has had since moving from Cleveland, putting up virtually identical numbers. We also know that this defense is outstanding, led by S Ed Reed, who led the league in picks with eight in spite of the fact that he only played in 10 games in 2010.
In previous years, if the Chiefs didn’t get anything going on the ground, they were in a lot of trouble. Now, it’s true that this squad does feel like it would fall in line with that statement, as this was the only club that even flirted with the idea of having a pair of 1,000 yard backs on the season. RBs Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones combined for 475 carries and over 2,300 yards on the season. However, QB Matt Cassel had one of the better TD/INT ratios on the season in the league at 27/7, and that number was only that bad because of the fact that he tossed two picks in a relatively meaningless Week 17 encounter with the Oakland Raiders. WR Dwayne Bowe caught 72 passes for 1,162 yards and a league high 15 TDs, and he is on his way to the Pro Bowl this year. Don’t forget about the defense either, which has a number of fantastic athletes like rookie S Eric Berry (77 tackles, 4 INTs, 2 sacks) and DE Tamba Hali (14.5 sacks, 37 tackles).
The Chiefs should put up a great fight in this one, but when push comes to shove, the last three home playoff games here at Arrowhead Stadium have all gone the way of the visitors. Baltimore is just a better team, and it should show in NFL betting action on Sunday, setting up a rematch of last year’s playoffs one way or the other for the Ravens.
NFL WILDCARD PICK: Baltimore Ravens -3
BANG THE BOOK
Sunday's Best NFL Bets
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 46)
Way back in Week 1, the Green Bay Packers knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 in a fantastic game that amounted to be one of the best of the year. The two will meet for a second time, this time with a number of changes on each side, in NFL betting action to end the first round of the playoffs on Sunday afternoon.
We have to remember that the Packers have been playing for three months now without RB Ryan Grant, who was in the lineup in Week 1′s win against the Eagles. As a result of his absence for virtually the entire season, Green Bay only accounted for 100.4 yards per game on the ground, ranking just No. 24 in the league. The passing game did rank No. 5, but as if there weren’t already enough pressure on the shoulders of QB Aaron Rodgers, now he has to go against a pass defense that has already seen him once on the year. Rodgers only threw for 188 yards the first time around, and he is going to inevitably be under the gun this time, probably to throw the ball at least 40 times when push comes to shove. The good news is that this defense is the most feared in the NFC, and it led the conference in picks this year with 24. LB Clay Matthews leads the charge on this side of the ball, where he had 13.5 sacks this year and could legitimately be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The bad news for this defense is that QB Michael Vick isn’t just turning the ball over at will. Vick was thrown into the mix for the first time this year in the second half of that Week 1 NFL wagering war against the Packers, and he played very, very well, throwing for 175 yards and a TD and running for 103 yards on 11 carries. He couldn’t quite fix the problems that were set up by QB Kevin Kolb, but he did lead the team into a position where it could have won if he could have pulled the trigger on the game winning TD pass. Still, with home field advantage and the memories of that second half comeback in tote, you know that the Eagles are flying high heading into this one on Sunday. RB LeSean McCoy will be called upon his fair share of times as well, both as a receiver and as a runner. He led the team in receptions with 78 this year and was third on the team in yards at 592, and he had 207 carries for 1,080 yards. The former Pitt Panther had nine TDs in total this year. Remember that this offense, with Vick calling the shots, averaged over 33 points per game on average when you prorate his time on the field, which makes up for a ‘D’ that allowed over 23 points per game on the campaign.
Philly is the play in this final first round NFL playoff betting affair. The Eagles aren’t going to lose to the same team at home twice in the same season, especially not with No. 7 calling the shots, a man that has a great history in the playoffs, including beating these very same Packers on the hallowed grounds of Lambeau Field just a few years ago.
NFL WILDCARD PICK: Philadelphia Eagles -2.5
Sunday's Best NFL Bets
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 46)
Way back in Week 1, the Green Bay Packers knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles 27-20 in a fantastic game that amounted to be one of the best of the year. The two will meet for a second time, this time with a number of changes on each side, in NFL betting action to end the first round of the playoffs on Sunday afternoon.
We have to remember that the Packers have been playing for three months now without RB Ryan Grant, who was in the lineup in Week 1′s win against the Eagles. As a result of his absence for virtually the entire season, Green Bay only accounted for 100.4 yards per game on the ground, ranking just No. 24 in the league. The passing game did rank No. 5, but as if there weren’t already enough pressure on the shoulders of QB Aaron Rodgers, now he has to go against a pass defense that has already seen him once on the year. Rodgers only threw for 188 yards the first time around, and he is going to inevitably be under the gun this time, probably to throw the ball at least 40 times when push comes to shove. The good news is that this defense is the most feared in the NFC, and it led the conference in picks this year with 24. LB Clay Matthews leads the charge on this side of the ball, where he had 13.5 sacks this year and could legitimately be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The bad news for this defense is that QB Michael Vick isn’t just turning the ball over at will. Vick was thrown into the mix for the first time this year in the second half of that Week 1 NFL wagering war against the Packers, and he played very, very well, throwing for 175 yards and a TD and running for 103 yards on 11 carries. He couldn’t quite fix the problems that were set up by QB Kevin Kolb, but he did lead the team into a position where it could have won if he could have pulled the trigger on the game winning TD pass. Still, with home field advantage and the memories of that second half comeback in tote, you know that the Eagles are flying high heading into this one on Sunday. RB LeSean McCoy will be called upon his fair share of times as well, both as a receiver and as a runner. He led the team in receptions with 78 this year and was third on the team in yards at 592, and he had 207 carries for 1,080 yards. The former Pitt Panther had nine TDs in total this year. Remember that this offense, with Vick calling the shots, averaged over 33 points per game on average when you prorate his time on the field, which makes up for a ‘D’ that allowed over 23 points per game on the campaign.
Philly is the play in this final first round NFL playoff betting affair. The Eagles aren’t going to lose to the same team at home twice in the same season, especially not with No. 7 calling the shots, a man that has a great history in the playoffs, including beating these very same Packers on the hallowed grounds of Lambeau Field just a few years ago.
NFL WILDCARD PICK: Philadelphia Eagles -2.5
BANG THE BOOK
Sunday's Best NFL Bets
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Boston College Eagles vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (-7.5, 55)
No win this year shook the framework of the college football betting world than when the Nevada Wolf Pack took out the Boise State Broncos in November. Now, the Pack are back in action this year in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, the last bowl bash of the year before the main course, the BCS National Championship Game. Nevada will take on the Boston College Eagles out in San Francisco.
The Eagles played incredibly well down the stretch, winning their final five games of the year and going 4-1 ATS to show for their work. They never really turned into contenders in the ACC Atlantic Division, and they do only have two wins over bowl teams this year, but they are definitely live dogs in this one with Head Coach Frank Spaziani calling the shots. Coach Spaz has himself one heck of a defense this year, a unit which is allowing just 302.5 yards and 19.5 points per game. No team does a better job against enemy ground games than does Boston College, which is holding teams to just 72.7 yards per game. Offense has been a real issue though, ranking No. 104 in the land in total yards and No. 109 in points per game (312.8 and 18.9 respectively). QB Chase Rettig has a lot of work to do to really be the prime man in this offense, but the frosh threw for 1,117 yards and six scores in a respectable end of season run. RB Montel Harris is the key to the team, as he rumbled the ball 268 times for 1,242 yards and eight scores.
Nevada’s offense is one of the best in the country, as the Pistol look really terrorized opponents this year. If not for a slip on the Big Island against the Hawaii Warriors, this probably would be a Top 10 team in the land that might have made it to the BCS. Averaging 536.1 yards per game was good enough to rank No. 2 in the country, while this unit dropped 42.6 points per game on average, No. 4 in the land. This is the final game in the illustrious career of QB Colin Kaepernick. He has thrown for 2,830 yards and 20 TDs and rushed for 1,181 yards and 20 TDs, making him the third man in the history of college football to have at least 20 TDs passing and rushing in the same year. The four year starter in Reno, Kaepernick accounted for 9,906 passing yards, 81 passing TDs, 4,091 rushing yards, and 59 rushing scores. It’s also the last stand for RB Vai Taua, who has had a great career with the Wolf Pack as well. Can you imagine the numbers that this man would have put up had he not split carries with RB Luke Lippincott for the majority of his career? Taua already has a career high with 1,534 yards and 19 rushing TDs this year, and he has 4,524 yards on the ground for his career to go with 44 scores.
This might seem like a lopsided college football betting battle, but the great equalizer here is that Spaziani and his staff have had a full month to prepare for this game. There’s a reason that this Nevada team quite often struggles at the outset of the season and really turns the jets on halfway through the year. It’s hard to prepare for this offense in just one week. Give it five or six weeks though, and it really could be no contest. BC should at least stick in front of this number, if not win this game outright.
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL PICK: Boston College Eagles +7
Sunday's Best NFL Bets
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Boston College Eagles vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (-7.5, 55)
No win this year shook the framework of the college football betting world than when the Nevada Wolf Pack took out the Boise State Broncos in November. Now, the Pack are back in action this year in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, the last bowl bash of the year before the main course, the BCS National Championship Game. Nevada will take on the Boston College Eagles out in San Francisco.
The Eagles played incredibly well down the stretch, winning their final five games of the year and going 4-1 ATS to show for their work. They never really turned into contenders in the ACC Atlantic Division, and they do only have two wins over bowl teams this year, but they are definitely live dogs in this one with Head Coach Frank Spaziani calling the shots. Coach Spaz has himself one heck of a defense this year, a unit which is allowing just 302.5 yards and 19.5 points per game. No team does a better job against enemy ground games than does Boston College, which is holding teams to just 72.7 yards per game. Offense has been a real issue though, ranking No. 104 in the land in total yards and No. 109 in points per game (312.8 and 18.9 respectively). QB Chase Rettig has a lot of work to do to really be the prime man in this offense, but the frosh threw for 1,117 yards and six scores in a respectable end of season run. RB Montel Harris is the key to the team, as he rumbled the ball 268 times for 1,242 yards and eight scores.
Nevada’s offense is one of the best in the country, as the Pistol look really terrorized opponents this year. If not for a slip on the Big Island against the Hawaii Warriors, this probably would be a Top 10 team in the land that might have made it to the BCS. Averaging 536.1 yards per game was good enough to rank No. 2 in the country, while this unit dropped 42.6 points per game on average, No. 4 in the land. This is the final game in the illustrious career of QB Colin Kaepernick. He has thrown for 2,830 yards and 20 TDs and rushed for 1,181 yards and 20 TDs, making him the third man in the history of college football to have at least 20 TDs passing and rushing in the same year. The four year starter in Reno, Kaepernick accounted for 9,906 passing yards, 81 passing TDs, 4,091 rushing yards, and 59 rushing scores. It’s also the last stand for RB Vai Taua, who has had a great career with the Wolf Pack as well. Can you imagine the numbers that this man would have put up had he not split carries with RB Luke Lippincott for the majority of his career? Taua already has a career high with 1,534 yards and 19 rushing TDs this year, and he has 4,524 yards on the ground for his career to go with 44 scores.
This might seem like a lopsided college football betting battle, but the great equalizer here is that Spaziani and his staff have had a full month to prepare for this game. There’s a reason that this Nevada team quite often struggles at the outset of the season and really turns the jets on halfway through the year. It’s hard to prepare for this offense in just one week. Give it five or six weeks though, and it really could be no contest. BC should at least stick in front of this number, if not win this game outright.
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL PICK: Boston College Eagles +7
A.REDDD
Sunday's Plays
25 Dime Release on Kansas City as the dog over Baltimore. As this play is released at 5 AM Pacific, the Chiefs are currently genting 3 points in this contest.
25 Dime Release on Green Bay as the road dog over Philadelphia. The Packers are currently getting 2 1/2 points in this contest, with a few isolated 3's avaiclable.
25 Dime Release on the Boston College as the dog over Nevada in tonnght's Fight Hunger Bowl. Boston College is currently getting 7 1/2 points in this contest.
Sunday's Plays
25 Dime Release on Kansas City as the dog over Baltimore. As this play is released at 5 AM Pacific, the Chiefs are currently genting 3 points in this contest.
25 Dime Release on Green Bay as the road dog over Philadelphia. The Packers are currently getting 2 1/2 points in this contest, with a few isolated 3's avaiclable.
25 Dime Release on the Boston College as the dog over Nevada in tonnght's Fight Hunger Bowl. Boston College is currently getting 7 1/2 points in this contest.
PICK 'N' ROLL
Sunday's Best NBA Bets
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers (-6.5, 211)
January is only nine days old and already the Los Angeles Lakers are looking forward to the end of the month.
Those nine days have been drama filled for the defending NBA champs, with the media jumping on head coach Phil Jackson’s relationships with Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest, as well as Lamar Odom’s new reality series with his famous-for-being-famous wife Khloe Kardashian. The latest news out of La-La Land is that Bryant’s knee is acting up, limiting what he can do to prepare for games in practice.
"Having him out there to practice makes it better for our team," Jackson told the Los Angeles Times. "But once they play with him a few games again, then they adjust to the fact that he's a guy that's going to break off some of the offense, he's going to chase (possession of) the ball once in a while, he's going to shortchange some of the things that we do to get the ball (to others). That itself breaks the rhythm a little bit and players adjust to it and they're fine."
In the midst of all these distractions, the Lakers have gone 3-1 in January but have managed to cover in just one of those contests. Los Angeles failed to cover as a 7.5-point home favorite in a 101-97 win over the New Orleans Hornets Friday.
Now, the Lakers welcome the New York Knicks to Staples Center, one of the best road bets in the NBA. New York is 14-4 ATS in the role of visitor and is 4-1 against the spread in its last five trips to Los Angeles.
PICK: New York Knicks
Miami Heat at Portland Trail Blazers (+5, 184.5)
According to LeBron James, the Rose Garden in Portland Oregon should be rockin’ with “The Heatles” coming to town Sunday.
Miami continues its five-game, 10-day road swing against the Trail Blazers, coming off a close call against the Milwaukee Bucks Friday. The Heat escaped the Bradley Center with a 101-95 victory, extending their winning streak to eight games. It also marked the fourth time in the past five outings that Miami has played over the total.
The Heat trademark defense wasn’t as sharp as past outings, giving up a 16-point lead to Milwaukee. Over the past five games, opponents are averaging more than 98 points per game – over six points more than Miami’s season average for points allowed.
“You've got to find a way to win and that's what we did (Friday night) in an ugly game for us, a game that is very rare,'' Dwyane Wade told the Miami Herald. “We're building for the future. We're building for opportunities like this, to win games even when you don't play your best.''
The Heat take their show west, facing a Blazers squad that has played over the number in its last two games. Portland is finding its scoring touch, topping the century mark on the scoreboard in four of its past five contests.
The over is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings between these clubs.
PICK: Over
Sunday's Best NBA Bets
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers (-6.5, 211)
January is only nine days old and already the Los Angeles Lakers are looking forward to the end of the month.
Those nine days have been drama filled for the defending NBA champs, with the media jumping on head coach Phil Jackson’s relationships with Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest, as well as Lamar Odom’s new reality series with his famous-for-being-famous wife Khloe Kardashian. The latest news out of La-La Land is that Bryant’s knee is acting up, limiting what he can do to prepare for games in practice.
"Having him out there to practice makes it better for our team," Jackson told the Los Angeles Times. "But once they play with him a few games again, then they adjust to the fact that he's a guy that's going to break off some of the offense, he's going to chase (possession of) the ball once in a while, he's going to shortchange some of the things that we do to get the ball (to others). That itself breaks the rhythm a little bit and players adjust to it and they're fine."
In the midst of all these distractions, the Lakers have gone 3-1 in January but have managed to cover in just one of those contests. Los Angeles failed to cover as a 7.5-point home favorite in a 101-97 win over the New Orleans Hornets Friday.
Now, the Lakers welcome the New York Knicks to Staples Center, one of the best road bets in the NBA. New York is 14-4 ATS in the role of visitor and is 4-1 against the spread in its last five trips to Los Angeles.
PICK: New York Knicks
Miami Heat at Portland Trail Blazers (+5, 184.5)
According to LeBron James, the Rose Garden in Portland Oregon should be rockin’ with “The Heatles” coming to town Sunday.
Miami continues its five-game, 10-day road swing against the Trail Blazers, coming off a close call against the Milwaukee Bucks Friday. The Heat escaped the Bradley Center with a 101-95 victory, extending their winning streak to eight games. It also marked the fourth time in the past five outings that Miami has played over the total.
The Heat trademark defense wasn’t as sharp as past outings, giving up a 16-point lead to Milwaukee. Over the past five games, opponents are averaging more than 98 points per game – over six points more than Miami’s season average for points allowed.
“You've got to find a way to win and that's what we did (Friday night) in an ugly game for us, a game that is very rare,'' Dwyane Wade told the Miami Herald. “We're building for the future. We're building for opportunities like this, to win games even when you don't play your best.''
The Heat take their show west, facing a Blazers squad that has played over the number in its last two games. Portland is finding its scoring touch, topping the century mark on the scoreboard in four of its past five contests.
The over is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings between these clubs.
PICK: Over
COLLEGE FUNDS
Sunday's Best NCAAB Bets
No. 24 Cincinnati Bearcats at No. 7 Villanova Wildcats
The Bearcats thing they are ready for their stiffest challenge of the season: a road game against a top-10 Big East foe.
"We know what we’ve got to do,” said senior forward Ibrahima Thomas. “It’s not like we beat Xavier and that’s the end of our season. We’ve got better goals than that. We don’t think we can lose. We’ve got that kind of confidence.”
The Bearcats are a perfect 15-0 with their wins coming by an average of 20.7 points per game, including a 20-point drubbing of cross-town rival Xavier. However, the team has just three true road victories this year and will try to snap Villanova’s 44-game win streak at The Pavilion, which also coincides with a 111-game sellout streak.
Cincinnati figures to counter by slowing the game down and playing its trademark defense. Villanova will look to do the same from the opening tip. The
Bearcats lead the league in scoring defense, allowing 53.8 points per game and is second in opponents field goal percentage (37.6). Villanova, meantime, is third in the Big East in points allowed (60.9) and first in opponents field goal percentage (37.5).
Overall, the past four meetings between these teams have fallen short of the total. This one should cash the under as well.
PICK: Under
No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks at Michigan Wolverines
Michigan coach John Beilein schedules one elite out of conference opponent for a home game each season. Just his luck, he’s beating them, too.
In 2008 he beat then-No. 4 Duke by 8. Last season, he beat then-No. 15 UConn by five. Both those games were scheduled by Beilein, who targeted a date the students would be on-campus, just like this matchup with the Jayhawks. The past two-plus seasons, the Wolverines are a solid, 35-11 at home. The team also is scheduling a “Maize Out” for the game, encouraging each fan to wear a yellow shirt to the game.
"Our kids are excited about every game, but this one I'm sure there's a little extra adrenaline that we're going to have to calm down getting ready for this game and more in the future as well," Beilein said. "One of our biggest obstacles is to channel that in the right direction."
Meantime, Kansas has played only one true road game – a 78-63 win against a mediocre Cal team just three days before Christmas when the majority of students were home for the holidays.
Look for Michigan to be a much less hospitable host at Crisler Arena.
PICK: Michigan Wolverines
Sunday's Best NCAAB Bets
No. 24 Cincinnati Bearcats at No. 7 Villanova Wildcats
The Bearcats thing they are ready for their stiffest challenge of the season: a road game against a top-10 Big East foe.
"We know what we’ve got to do,” said senior forward Ibrahima Thomas. “It’s not like we beat Xavier and that’s the end of our season. We’ve got better goals than that. We don’t think we can lose. We’ve got that kind of confidence.”
The Bearcats are a perfect 15-0 with their wins coming by an average of 20.7 points per game, including a 20-point drubbing of cross-town rival Xavier. However, the team has just three true road victories this year and will try to snap Villanova’s 44-game win streak at The Pavilion, which also coincides with a 111-game sellout streak.
Cincinnati figures to counter by slowing the game down and playing its trademark defense. Villanova will look to do the same from the opening tip. The
Bearcats lead the league in scoring defense, allowing 53.8 points per game and is second in opponents field goal percentage (37.6). Villanova, meantime, is third in the Big East in points allowed (60.9) and first in opponents field goal percentage (37.5).
Overall, the past four meetings between these teams have fallen short of the total. This one should cash the under as well.
PICK: Under
No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks at Michigan Wolverines
Michigan coach John Beilein schedules one elite out of conference opponent for a home game each season. Just his luck, he’s beating them, too.
In 2008 he beat then-No. 4 Duke by 8. Last season, he beat then-No. 15 UConn by five. Both those games were scheduled by Beilein, who targeted a date the students would be on-campus, just like this matchup with the Jayhawks. The past two-plus seasons, the Wolverines are a solid, 35-11 at home. The team also is scheduling a “Maize Out” for the game, encouraging each fan to wear a yellow shirt to the game.
"Our kids are excited about every game, but this one I'm sure there's a little extra adrenaline that we're going to have to calm down getting ready for this game and more in the future as well," Beilein said. "One of our biggest obstacles is to channel that in the right direction."
Meantime, Kansas has played only one true road game – a 78-63 win against a mediocre Cal team just three days before Christmas when the majority of students were home for the holidays.
Look for Michigan to be a much less hospitable host at Crisler Arena.
PICK: Michigan Wolverines
ICE PICKS
Sunday's Best NHL Bets
New York Islanders at Chicago Blackhawks (-265, 5.5)
The defending Stanley Cup champs are finally healthy after being plagued by injuries for most of the year. But even with big guns like Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in the lineup, the Blackhawks need to find their rhythm after playing with a mix-and-match roster all season.
Chicago has averaged just over two goals per game in its last six outings, with its most recent contest finishing in a 3-2 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators that played under the 5.5-goal total Friday.
Kane, who recently returned from an ankle injury, netted a goal but is still trying to work his way back into the offensive flow.
“I thought he made a great play there and I thought he got better as the game progressed," Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said. "It was nice to see the timeliness of that goal and come out of the game with two points."
Chicago will continue to get better, but it will take some time for the scoring weapons to gel and return to the level of last year’s squad. The Blackhawks are 9-15 over/under at the United Center this year.
PICK: Under
Atlanta Thrashers at Carolina Hurricanes (+125, 5.5)
There’s nothing more embarrassing than losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs - unless you lose 9-3 and allow the Leafs to scored six goals in the second period.
The Atlanta Thrashers are living that shame right now, getting rocked by Toronto Friday night. They actually outshot the Maple Leafs 44-34 but paid for their penalties, giving four power-play goals to Toronto.
"Once it got to 5-1, things kind of got away on the penalty kill," Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey told reporters. "We weren't able to do the job, and that's disappointing because our PK has been really good for the better part of two months."
Like most blowout games, things got out of hand. Atlanta forward Ben Eager sucker punched Toronto’s Colby Armstrong in the second period and will be suspended four games, starting in Carolina Sunday.
PICK: Carolina Hurricanes
Sunday's Best NHL Bets
New York Islanders at Chicago Blackhawks (-265, 5.5)
The defending Stanley Cup champs are finally healthy after being plagued by injuries for most of the year. But even with big guns like Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in the lineup, the Blackhawks need to find their rhythm after playing with a mix-and-match roster all season.
Chicago has averaged just over two goals per game in its last six outings, with its most recent contest finishing in a 3-2 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators that played under the 5.5-goal total Friday.
Kane, who recently returned from an ankle injury, netted a goal but is still trying to work his way back into the offensive flow.
“I thought he made a great play there and I thought he got better as the game progressed," Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said. "It was nice to see the timeliness of that goal and come out of the game with two points."
Chicago will continue to get better, but it will take some time for the scoring weapons to gel and return to the level of last year’s squad. The Blackhawks are 9-15 over/under at the United Center this year.
PICK: Under
Atlanta Thrashers at Carolina Hurricanes (+125, 5.5)
There’s nothing more embarrassing than losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs - unless you lose 9-3 and allow the Leafs to scored six goals in the second period.
The Atlanta Thrashers are living that shame right now, getting rocked by Toronto Friday night. They actually outshot the Maple Leafs 44-34 but paid for their penalties, giving four power-play goals to Toronto.
"Once it got to 5-1, things kind of got away on the penalty kill," Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey told reporters. "We weren't able to do the job, and that's disappointing because our PK has been really good for the better part of two months."
Like most blowout games, things got out of hand. Atlanta forward Ben Eager sucker punched Toronto’s Colby Armstrong in the second period and will be suspended four games, starting in Carolina Sunday.
PICK: Carolina Hurricanes
Bettors' Best Friend (BBF): Sunday's Wagering Tips
Who’s Hot:
NCAAB: Dayton Flyers are 7-1 ATS in their past 8 road games.
NBA: Miami Heat are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 road games.
NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning are 9-3 in their past 12 games overall.
NFL: Ravens are 4-1-1 ATS in their past 6 road games
Who’s Not:
NCAAB: Cincinnati Bearcats are 7-20 ATS in their past 27 Big East games.
NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers are 2-11-1 ATS in their past 14 road games.
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs have seen the under go 5-2 in their past 7 games as an underdog.
NHL: San Jose Sharks have seen the under hit in 9 of their past 13 games.
Key Stat
3 – Points or fewer underdogs have gone 26-16-2 ATS in the Wild Card round since 1978. Additionally, home dogs are 11-3 in all first-round matchups.
Injury That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
The Lakers bench could soon be missing a huge piece. Swingman and full-time defensive pest Matt Barnes is having an MRI on his leg to determine the extent of a sprained knee he suffered in a four-point win over the Hornets on Friday. Officially, he is listed as day-to-day, but it looked – and sounded, much worse. "It feels really sore," Barnes said. "They said it could just be a bone bruise. I came down on one foot and rolled my ankle and then my leg got stuck and I fell back.” Barnes is averaging 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in nearly 21 minutes of action per night.
Biggest Game On The Slate
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 46.5)
Notable Quotable
"I should have probably let Tony know. I never thought it would be national news. I realized after having read the papers the anguish I had put Tony through. It's probably a mistake on my part not thinking that when you do something like this, it's public." – Dolphins owner Stephen Ross on not realizing hiring a head coach in the NFL is an issue of public interest, especially when he still has one under contract.
Tips And Notes:
The men’s college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and Stanford Cardinal has been postponed from Saturday until Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. due to the shooting of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Arizona said that much of the security personal the university uses for game-day security was being redirected to help handle the tragedy. Arizona (+11, 133.5) is 9-0 at home this season.
Green Bay Packers safety Atari Bigby has been ruled out of Sunday's playoff game against the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.Bigby has been nursing a nagging groin injury for the sixth-seeded Packers and has just six tackles in four games this season. Last year, he had 49 tackles, 8 passes defenced and four interceptions.
The Detroit Red Wings have regained their elite form, but it will be interesting to see how the team responds to a crucial injury to their defense. Brad Stuart suffered a broken jaw in Friday night's shootout win over the Calgary Flames and will miss six-to-eight weeks. The defenseman has 12 points and a plus-seven rating in 41 games this season.
Who’s Hot:
NCAAB: Dayton Flyers are 7-1 ATS in their past 8 road games.
NBA: Miami Heat are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 road games.
NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning are 9-3 in their past 12 games overall.
NFL: Ravens are 4-1-1 ATS in their past 6 road games
Who’s Not:
NCAAB: Cincinnati Bearcats are 7-20 ATS in their past 27 Big East games.
NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers are 2-11-1 ATS in their past 14 road games.
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs have seen the under go 5-2 in their past 7 games as an underdog.
NHL: San Jose Sharks have seen the under hit in 9 of their past 13 games.
Key Stat
3 – Points or fewer underdogs have gone 26-16-2 ATS in the Wild Card round since 1978. Additionally, home dogs are 11-3 in all first-round matchups.
Injury That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
The Lakers bench could soon be missing a huge piece. Swingman and full-time defensive pest Matt Barnes is having an MRI on his leg to determine the extent of a sprained knee he suffered in a four-point win over the Hornets on Friday. Officially, he is listed as day-to-day, but it looked – and sounded, much worse. "It feels really sore," Barnes said. "They said it could just be a bone bruise. I came down on one foot and rolled my ankle and then my leg got stuck and I fell back.” Barnes is averaging 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in nearly 21 minutes of action per night.
Biggest Game On The Slate
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 46.5)
Notable Quotable
"I should have probably let Tony know. I never thought it would be national news. I realized after having read the papers the anguish I had put Tony through. It's probably a mistake on my part not thinking that when you do something like this, it's public." – Dolphins owner Stephen Ross on not realizing hiring a head coach in the NFL is an issue of public interest, especially when he still has one under contract.
Tips And Notes:
The men’s college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and Stanford Cardinal has been postponed from Saturday until Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. due to the shooting of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Arizona said that much of the security personal the university uses for game-day security was being redirected to help handle the tragedy. Arizona (+11, 133.5) is 9-0 at home this season.
Green Bay Packers safety Atari Bigby has been ruled out of Sunday's playoff game against the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.Bigby has been nursing a nagging groin injury for the sixth-seeded Packers and has just six tackles in four games this season. Last year, he had 49 tackles, 8 passes defenced and four interceptions.
The Detroit Red Wings have regained their elite form, but it will be interesting to see how the team responds to a crucial injury to their defense. Brad Stuart suffered a broken jaw in Friday night's shootout win over the Calgary Flames and will miss six-to-eight weeks. The defenseman has 12 points and a plus-seven rating in 41 games this season.
