Service Plays Sunday 2/27/11

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Pick 'n' roll:

Sunday's Best NBA Bet

Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers

The 76ers are playing with something not seen in Philadelphia in a long time: swagger.

The Sixers are 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS over their past 10, playing their way into the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. Not bad for a team viewed as a collection of stiff forwards and poor-shooting wings entering the season.

Coach Doug Collins has preached defense first, shots second and the result has been wins – and high scores. Because Collins uses a deep bench, the team has no true superstar but a relentless energy that leads to scores of fast-break points and inflated totals.

In two games since the All-Star break, Philadelphia has had 12 players crack double figures. During a 110-94 victory over Detroit on Friday, the team racked up 31 fast-break points as Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young each broke the 20-point barrier.

The over is 7-1 in the Sixers’ last eight road games, 4-0 in their past four contests overall.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have been scoring a ton lately, too, with the over going 6-0 in their past six. Over that span, the team has topped the century mark five times. Veteran Antawn Jamison has been the catalyst. He's averaged 25.2 points over that span – more than seven points above his season average.

Pick: Over

 

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Sunday's NBA Betting Preview

Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-1, 201)

The Thunder will get a chance to avenge a loss earlier in the season when they host the Lakers in a nationally-televised showdown Sunday afternoon.

At the Staples Center on January 17, Los Angeles handled Kevin Durant and Co. for a 101-94 victory and covered the 4.5-point spread. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol led five Lakers in double figures with 21 points apiece.
Pau Gasol headlines a towering Lakers frontcourt.
For Oklahoma City, Durant went for 24 on just 8-for-24 shooting while Russell Westbrook carried the visitors with 32 points. The Thunder turned it over just nine times to their opponents’ 15 turnovers, but they were doomed by dismal 2-for-22 shooting from long range.

Thunder rolled

Oklahoma City is one of many NBA teams in a transition state following this week’s trade deadline.

Jeff Green headed to Boston while the Thunder acquired Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson from the Celtics. The shorthanded squad did not fare well in its first post-deadline game at Orlando Friday night. Oklahoma City, a 6-point underdog, got blown out by the Magic 111-88.

Robinson will be available for Sunday’s contest, but Perkins will not make his debut with the Thunder for one more week because of a sprained knee. Orlando center Dwight Howard, however, said after the game that he expects big things from OKC.

“They're up there now,” he told NewsOK.com. “They have a legitimate chance of winning a title. I think the one thing that Oklahoma (City) needed was a guy in the paint on the defensive end. They have (Serge) Ibaka. But then you add somebody like Kendrick, it's going to make it very tough with all the length.”

With Perkins out and the team’s new core yet to gel, such optimism probably doesn’t apply to a tough game against the Lakers, who have won three straight since the All-Star break. The Thunder could really use Perkins, too, because L.A. has one of the most imposing frontcourts in the league with a healthy Andrew Bynum now teaming up with Gasol and Lamar Odom.

Trending topics

The Lakers are 4-0 ATS in their last four against the Western Conference and 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games against teams with winning home records.

The over is 4-1 in L.A.’s last five overall. Head-to-head, the home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings. The Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last five at home against the Lakers.

New York Knicks at Miami Heat (-8.5, 215.5)

The fourth and final regular season meeting between New York and Miami will feature a new-look Knicks team.

That’s not necessarily good news for the Knicks, though, because they were 3.5-point underdogs at home with their “old” team on January 27 and upset the Heat 93-88. Plenty of now-former New York players did the damage, although Amare Stoudemire scored 24 points.

Miami was without Chris Bosh due to an ankle injury. The Heat, however, won the first two meetings between the two teams, 113-91 at Madison Square Garden on December 17 (easily covering the 5-point spread) and 106-98 at home on December 28 (the Knicks covered by half a point).

When all three members of the “Big 3” have been in action for the Heat, it has been trouble for New York. The trio combined for 84 points in the first encounter (led by LeBron James’ 32 and triple-double) and it scored 76 points in the second win (led by Dwyane Wade’s 40 points).
Amare Stoudemire has dropped two straight to Miami.
When stars align

Five bona fide stars will be on the court for this one. The Heat have three and the Knicks have two, but head-to-head history still sides with the Knicks in the superstar department.

The Nuggets went 10-4 (8-5-1 ATS) against the Cavs while Carmelo Anthony played in Denver and before James took his talents from Cleveland to South Beach. With respect to individual bragging rights, though, it should be noted that Anthony missed two of those 14 games. Interestingly, both resulted in wins and covers by the Nuggets.

For their careers, in games in which they both played, Anthony has averaged 20.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists. James is averaging 26.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists.

In addition to his 8-4 SU record at LeBron’s expense, Carmelo is 10-3 SU lifetime against Wade. Furthermore, Stoudemire is 7-3 SU against Bosh.

Injury update

Injury was added to insult when Anthony played his first road game with the Knicks Friday. Not only did they lose, 115-109, to lowly Cleveland, but Carmelo also departed with a sore elbow when he fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

He should be good to go for Sunday’s clash. For Miami, Mike Miller took an elbow to the face last week and has missed four games due to ear and eye trouble. Miller is expected to return on Sunday.

Trending topics

The Knicks are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games following a SU loss The Heat are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss, but they are 1-4 ATS in their last five against the Eastern Conference.

The under is 8-3 in New York’s last 11 road games, but the over is 4-1 in Miami’s last five home games. Head-to-head, the road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the over is 3-0-1 in the last four in South Beach.

 

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Miami Heat host New York Knicks

Two Eastern Conference teams that are dramatically different from this time last season collide Sunday when New York (29-27 straight up, 33-21-2 against the spread) visits Miami (43-16 SU, 29-29-1 ATS). Both teams are trying to improve their playoff positioning, with the Knicks currently in sixth place and the Heat battling Boston for the top spot.

New York retooled itself in the offseason with the acquisition of Amare Stoudemire. But the Knicks really made headlines with the recent arrival Carmelo Anthony, giving them a powerful frontcourt duo.

Miami improved its roster dramatically with the addition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh this past offseason. The Heat were a 25/1 selection to win the NBA Finals before the moves, but they are currently 2/1 to win the championship.

New York was riding a three-game SU winning streak until Friday’s unexpected loss to lowly Cleveland as eight-point road ‘chalk,’ 115-109. The combined 224 points eclipsed the 221-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash the second consecutive contest. The Knicks have now failed to cover their past two performances.

New York was dominated on the boards, 62-42, but the team did deliver more assists, 22-18. The Knicks finished the game by shooting 42 percent (39-of-93) from the field, and 41 percent (9-of-22) from behind the arc.

Stoudemire paced the offense with 31 points and 11 rebounds, while Anthony had 27 and eight. Point guard Chauncey Billups accounted for 26 and eight assists in the setback.

Anthony slightly injured his elbow in the loss, and is listed as ‘probable’ versus the Heat.

Miami improved to 4-1 SU its last five games after dispatching Washington Friday as a 15 ½-point home favorite, 121-113. The combined 234 points soared past the 203 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 5-3 the past eight outings. The Heat are now just 1-3 ATS their last four matchups.

Miami cruised after outscoring the Wizards in the second quarter, 43-36. The Heat were on the short end of rebounding, 45-34, and assists, 21-14, but shot a blistering 53 percent (41-of-78) from the field along with 39 percent (5-of-13) from 3-point land.

Shooting guard Dwyane Wade led all scorers with 41 points along with five rebounds, while James provided 25, nine and seven assists. Bosh accounted for 15 and eight, while point guard Mario Chalmers added 14.

Miami had won seven games in a row against New York SU (5-2 ATS) before falling to the Knicks Jan. 27 as 3½-point road ‘chalk,’ 93-88. The combined 181 points never seriously threatened the 213-point closing total. The ‘under’ is 3-1-1 the past five games in this series.

New York concludes a three-game road trip with Tuesday’s matchup at Orlando. The Knicks are 16-6-1 ATS their last 23 road games, while the ‘under’ is 8-3 the previous 11 outings away from home.

Miami guard Mike Miller (ear) is ‘probable’ against the Knicks, while center Dexter Pittman (knee) is ‘out.’ The Heat wrap up a three-game homestand with Thursday’s tilt versus the Magic. Miami is just 2-8 ATS the past 10 games versus Atlantic Division opponents. The ‘over’ is 16-7 the last 23 games overall for the Heat.

ESPN will provide coverage of Sunday’s contest beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT from Miami’s American Airlines Arena.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

College Funds

Sunday's Best NCAAB Bet

Maryland Terrapins at North Carolina Tar Heels (-6)

Maryland coach Gary Williams believes his only chance to reach the NCAA Tournament is to put the team in the hands of a freshman.

First-year guard Terrell Stoglin is averaging 10.9 points and 3.3 assists for the season, but has been nearly unstoppable over his past five games. With the Terps going 3-2 SU over that span, he has averaged 19.2 points and 6.0 assists.

“It’s the great competitor that thinks he can score against anybody,” Williams said. "He's going to make some mistakes in terms of shot selection. But what he gives you is somebody that wants to be out there."

And Maryland has more than competed in its past five games against the Tar Heels. The Terps are 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS, including an upset victory as 18-point underdogs in Chapel Hill three years ago. North Carolina, meanwhile, has failed to cover as a favorite in its last two home games.

North Carolina must find a way to make more 3-pointers if it wants to shell the Terrapins. The Tar Heels are making just 31.7 percent of their threes, which ranks 11th in the ACC. They’ve hit just 16 of 85 (18.8 percent) in their last five games.

Pick: Maryland

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pittsburgh at Louisville: What Bettors Need to Know

Pittsburgh Panthers at Louisville Cardinals (-1, 134.5)

THE STORY: Remember last year's Pittsburgh team, picked to finish ninth in the Big East but wound up with a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament? Louisville has been this year's 2009-10 Panthers, currently tied for third after its preseason eighth-place forecast and overachieving for Rick Pitino.
Rick Pitino has his Cardinals playing great defense.
TV: 2 p.m., CBS

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (21-7, 10-5 Big East, 14-10-1 ATS): Pitino praised the No. 16 Cardinals' stifling defense with good reason after Tuesday's 55-37 victory at Rutgers - one of the toughest road environments in the league. Louisville limited the Scarlet Knights to just 13-for-44 shooting, including 2-of-14 3-point tries. And it wasn't even the lowest total against the Cardinals this season. They held San Francisco, a current third-place team in the WCC, to just 11 second-half points in a 61-35 romp in December. That defensive intensity bodes well against a Pitt team that struggled in its previous road game, a 60-59 loss at St. John's Saturday, in which no starter managed double-digit scoring. The Cardinals also blocked six shots and forced 18 turnovers against Rutgers.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (25-3, 13-2, 12-11-0 ATS): With No. 6 Pitt's 71-58 victory over West Virginia Thursday night, coach Jamie Dixon tied North Carolina State's Everett Case and Kansas' Roy Williams for most victories in his first eight seasons with 213. The Panthers put together one of their most complete halves in the second against WVU, outscoring the Mountaineers 41-27 and controlling the paint and the perimeter to set up easy layups and second-chance points. Pitt ranks third in the nation at 18 assists per game, and produced assists on 23 of its 27 field goals in the victory. It also marked the 12th straight game the Panthers held their opponent to 66 points or fewer.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Junior forward Nasir Robinson averages 8.8 points, but has liked the number 15 lately for Pitt. Robinson has contributed 15 points in three of the last five games, and added 13 in one of the other two. He's done so on efficient 24-for-39 shooting. Junior guard Kyle Kuric (9.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg) has stepped up both his scoring and rebounding over Louisville's last eight games, posting 15.0 and 5.1 averages, respectively. He had 11 and seven against Rutgers.

KEY STATISTIC: 68.2 and 67.1 – The respective free-throw percentages for Pitt and Louisville. In what could be a chippy game, the edge may go to whichever team gets hot at the line.

RECENT HISTORY: The Panthers prevailed, 82-77, in overtime at home last season. Louisville defeated then-No. 1 Pittsburgh, 69-63, in 2009 the last time they played in Kentucky. The programs have met just nine times and Pitt holds a 5-4 edge.

LOOKING AHEAD: Both teams finish with Wednesday and Saturday games this week. Pitt goes to South Florida and then home to face Villanova, while Louisville welcomes Providence and then travels to West Virginia.

LAST WORD: Below Pitt, Louisville is one of seven teams still jockeying to clinch the other three “double-bye” spots in the Big East Tournament. Also, while the Panthers are a likely No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NCAAs, the other horde of Big East teams could go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 11, so the Cardinals have much more to play for in this one.

TRENDS:

- Panthers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games following a ATS win.
- Cardinals are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 Sunday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Panthers' last six road games.
- Under is 7-2 in Cardinals' last nine home games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pittsburgh, Louisville headline Sunday NCAA betting

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, there's a huge Big East battle looming on Sunday's college basketball betting slate.

The outcome of the matchup between the Pittsburgh Panthers and Louisville Cardinals (11 a.m. PT, CBS) means nothing as far as either team's chances of being part of this year's NCAA Tournament. Both the Panthers and Cardinals are assured of an invite to the dance as the Big East looks to push an unprecedented 11 teams into the mix. West Virginia and Marquette are the conference's bubble teams presently.

Still, Sunday's result will help determine seeding for the conference tournament that begins at Madison Square Garden a little more than a week from now. Pittsburgh (25-3 straight up, 12-11 against the spread) can guarantee itself at least a tie for the regular season title in the Big East with a win. With two victories in their last three games, the Panthers can lock up the No. 1 seed for the Big East tourney and that would go a long way to giving Jamie Dixon's bunch a No. 1 slot in the NCAA Tournament.

Louisville (21-7 SU, 14-10-1 ATS) needs a win to help maintain a spot in the top 4 of the conference standings which would give the Cardinals a bye in the first two rounds of the Big East tournament. A loss would leave Rick Pitino's squad with six conference defeats and in a scrum with the likes of Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati and Villanova for one of those two-bye positions.

The Cardinals are coming off consecutive wins on the floor and versus the NCAA odds over UConn and Rutgers. Tuesday's 55-37 triumph at Rutgers, the lowest point total in Big East matchups this season, came with Louisville four-point chalk and marked the third straight 'under' for Pitino's troops.

Only two Cardinals reached double figures in the boxscore, Preston Knowles (14 points) and Kyle Kuric (11), but they didn't really need much more than that to defeat a Scarlett Knights team that shot under 30 percent from the field and connected on just 13 field goals.

Pittsburgh rebounded from its loss to St. John's last Saturday at MSG with a 71-58 pasting of West Virginia on Thursday. Favored by 8½ on their floor at Petersen Events Center, the Panthers overcame a 31-30 halftime deficit with a 17-5 run to open the final 20 minutes of play. Pitt managed to convert 15 of its 23 shots in the second half while holding the Mountaineers to just six field goals in 23 second-half attempts.

The final score fell just short of the 130-point total, the fourth consecutive 'under' for Panthers bettors.

Louisville is a sparkling 17-2 at the KFC Yum! Center this season while the Panthers are 9-1 in true road games, the only defeat to St. John's a week ago by a single point.

The only injury of note is on the Pittsburgh bench where reserve forward Talib Zanna will be out at least the next 3-4 weeks with a brken thumb suffered just prior to the win over West Virginia.

Sunday's meeting is just the 10th between the two schools with Pitt owning a 5-4 edge in the previous nine. Three of the meetings came in the Big East tournament, all three won by the Panthers to give Louisville a 4-2 advantage in regular season matchups.

Pittsburgh was a two-point underdog at home the last time the two got together (Jan. 16, 2010), and came away with an 82-77 victory in overtime, easily 'over' the 136½-point total. A year before that was the last time the two schools went to battle in Louisville, and the Cardinals took that one by a 69-63 count, again as two-point favorites. That meeting failed to reach the 135-point scoreboard figure.

Louisville will remain at home for Wednesday's meeting with Providence, then close out the regular season on the road at West Virginia next Saturday. Pitt stays on the road with a trip to South Florida on Wednesday. The Panthers host Villanova on Saturday to end their regular season slate.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Betting Preview: Terrapins at Tar Heels

ACC betting fans will love to sink their teeth into this fantastic Sunday night showdown at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, as the North Carolina Tar Heels duke it out with the Maryland Terrapins.

Tip-off from Tobacco Road is set for 4:45 p.m. (ET) and the game will be carried on the Fox Sports family of networks.

Many have already written off the Terps as having no shot of making the NCAA Tournament. Though we do admit that Maryland has a lack of quality wins in the bunch, the prospects of ending the regular season on a five-game winning streak and 10 wins in the ACC makes us believe that there is at least hope to back into the field as an at-large team.

The play of Jordan Williams is going to be of paramount importance. The big man has frustrated some of the best teams in America this year, and he is going to have to be the subject of an upset if there is one brewing. Williams is averaging 17.2 PPG and 11.5 RPG this season, and he is clearly a monster when he gets inside the paint.

His biggest hassle in this one is that North Carolina can throw a ton of bodies at him defensively and make him defend away from the basket. All of the bigs can shoot and shoot from the outside for the Tar Heels, and every step that you take Williams away from the basket is a huge one.

The rest of this team is definitely challenged to find both scoring and rebounding. Dino Gregory is the second best rebounder on this team at 6.0 per game, and he is the only other man averaging more than 3.5 RPG. Terrell Stoglin and Cliff Tucker are both double-digit scorers, but they're the only other ones on the squad and certainly aren't stars like Williams is.

The only team that has beaten North Carolina since January 16 is the Duke Blue Devils, something that, especially on the road, is nothing to be ashamed of. The Tar Heels have really found their stride, and they're moving towards a very high seed in the NCAA Tournament this season.

However, lately the the Heels seem to be having at least some minimal issues with teams on their home court. They struggled mightily offensively to finally put down the Boston College Eagles 48-46 on February 19, while just four days before that, a 12 point win against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, arguably the worst team the ACC has seen in years, was nothing to write home about.

We've already alluded to all of the bigs that the Heels can use to defend Williams. Tyler Zeller is probably the best scorer of the bunch at 14.4 PPG and 7.4 RPG, though John Henson can definitely bang around in the paint at 11.1 PPG and 9.3 RPG. The key is going to be Harrison Barnes, who is up to 13.5 PPG and 5.7 RPG after a dreadful start to the season.

If there is some good news for head coach Gary Williams, it is that his team has played awfully well against these Tar Heels, even here in Chapel Hill. The Terps have won four of the last five meetings against these guys SU, and are 5-0 ATS in this run as well. This includes a big time 82-80 upset as 18 ½-point underdogs at the Dean Smith Center back in 2008 when North Carolina was arguably at its best.

This is the only meeting of the year of these two ACC foes. Maryland won 92-71 last year at the Comcast Center in College Park as six point choices of the oddsmakers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Ice picks:

Sunday's Best NHL Bets


Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers (-127, 5.5)

If there is one thing the Lightning have done well this season, it’s dominate the Rangers.

Tampa Bay is 3-0 against the Blue Shirts this season, winning twice in Florida and once more in Manhattan. Tampa Bay has conceded seven total goals in those meetings, but has come away with the victory each time by limiting New York on the power play and taking advantage of its opportunities.

Martin St. Louis (one goal, three assists) and Steven Stamkos (two goals, two assists) have led the way against the Rangers this season. And the Tampa Bay offense enters the game firing on all cylinders. The Lightning have notched 10 goals in their past two games and have scored at least twice in each of the past 20 games.

"They're a good team, no question," Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said of the Lightning. "They have skilled guys up front. They played pretty solid defensively, as well."

And the Rangers will struggle to match their scoring. New York has won the past two but has a combined three power-play tallies in those games -- something that figures to be more of a problem against Tampa Bay. The Rangers also remain without star forward Marian Gaborik and have been held to two or fewer goals six times over their past 10.

Pick: Tampa Bay

Boston Bruins at Edmonton Oilers (149, 5.5)

The Bruins don’t care about what happened in Vancouver Saturday night. All Boston knows is that it loves the second game of back-to-backs.

The B’s are 6-3 in the second game of back-to-backs this season and entered the weekend winners of three straight, each by at least two goals – all on the road. This game will feature the hottest rookie skater in the NHL. And it’s not Boston’s Tyler Seguin or Edmonton’s Taylor Hall. It’s Bruins forward Brad Marchand, who has 10 goals and 15 points over his past 15 games.

“I think he was a guy who competed hard, and last year if there was anything, I thought in his first year it was him having trouble maintaining that grit,” Boston coach Claude Julien said. “As far as his (offensive) production, I always thought he had a great shot. I think he’s building confidence and knows he can give a little bit more to his team, and he gets more experience. I think the grit is still there, but productively he’s gotten better.”

Edmonton, meantime, has dropped two of its past three games. The lone victory was a 5-1 triumph against Colorado, but the team wasn’t even competitive in the defeats. The losses were by a combined 9-1 margin against mediocre St. Louis and Minnesota.

Look for Marchand and Boston to keep rolling.

Pick: Boston

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bettors' best friend (BBF): Sunday's wagering tips

Who’s Hot

NHL: Chicago is 4-1 in its last five overall, 7-2 in its last nine Sunday games.

NBA: The under is 7-0 in Phoenix’s last seven road games.

NBA: Oklahoma City is 11-5 ATS following a SU loss by more than 10 points.

NCAAB: Xavier is 6-1 ATS in its last seven road games.

NCAAB: Maryland is 5-0 ATS in its last five meetings with North Carolina, with the over also going 5-0.

Who’s Not

NHL: St. Louis is 7-21 in its last 28 games playing on one day’s rest.

NBA: New Orleans is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games.

NBA : Toronto is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games as an underdog.

NCAAB: Cincinnati is 7-18 ATS in its last 25 home games.

NCAAB: Ohio State is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games.

Key stat

42.6 – North Carolina’s rebounding average, which leads the nation. But Maryland isn’t far behind at 39.3 (18th nationally). The teams meet in Chapel Hill, N.C., at 7:45 p.m. Eastern, with the Terps desperate for a signature win to impress the NCAA selection committee.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Carmelo Anthony’s right elbow is bothering him. That was clear from the protective sleeve he wore in practice Saturday and by the fact that he shot mainly left-handed. Anthony said he’ll “without a doubt” play at Miami Sunday night, but won’t be 100 percent for a couple weeks.

Anthony felt elbow pain in the Knicks’ loss at Cleveland on Friday.

“He should be fine,” coach Mike D’Antoni said after Saturday's practice. “He didn't take a whole lot of shots, let's put it that way, but he ran through everything. Most of the things we did were to try to get our defense on the same page."

With so many superstars on the floor in Miami Sunday night, the atmosphere figures to be electric. Tickets in the lower levels were going for as high as $2,500 on stubhub.com. Some courtside seats were going for $9,000.

Biggest game on the slate

Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-1, 201)

Notable quotable

“I’m just here for the long haul. As long as I can get me some good games in the regular season, get a good push going into the playoffs, I think I’m going to be alright.” – center Kendrick Perkins, whose Oklahoma City debut will be delayed two to three weeks with a sprained left knee.

Tips and notes

--Bodog.com set Martin Kaymer, golf’s new No. 1-ranked player in the world, as a -125 favorite to win Sunday’s Accenture Match Play Championship over Luke Donald (-105). Kaymer advanced with an 18-hole win over Bubba Watson, while Donald whipped Matt Kuchar, 6 & 5. Weather could be a factor at the desert course in Arizona on Sunday. A winter storm warning is in effect and 1-3 inches of snow are possible.

--The Pac-10 is way down, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the RPI. Arizona is the Pac-10’s highest-rated team, with an RPI of 15. Washington (36) and UCLA (41) are the only other schools in the top 50. In contrast, the Big East boasts 10 teams in the top 50, with Marquette hovering just outside it.

--Butler clinched the Horizon League’s regular-season title without coach Brad Stevens on the bench. He was diagnosed with a corneal edema after experiencing vision problems during Saturday's shootaround. The Bulldogs beat Loyola 63-56 Saturday. Assistant Matthew Graves took over after Stevens, who tried to coach wearing sunglasses, left in the first half. Stevens’ condition is expected to improve enough so he can coach in the conference tournament. The Bulldogs (21-9, 13-5), who have won seven straight, get a bye into the Horizon League tournament semifinals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NCAA CBB

Season
Straight Up: 3437-1167 (.747)
ATS: 1529-1561 (.495)
ATS Vary Units: 4351-4468 (.493)
Over/Under: 1511-1532 (.497)
Over/Under Vary Units: 2000-2131 (.484)

America East Conference
HARTFORD 56, New Hampshire 52
MAINE 62, Albany 59
STONY BROOK 61, Binghamton 55
VERMONT 65, Boston U. 56
Atlantic 10 Conference
LA SALLE 76, Massachusetts 75
Xavier 72, DAYTON 66
Atlantic Coast Conference
NORTH CAROLINA 80, Maryland 71
Big East Conference
CINCINNATI 68, Connecticut 62
MARQUETTE 90, Providence 73
Pittsburgh vs. LOUISVILLE: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
West Virginia 66, RUTGERS 62
Big Ten Conference
OHIO STATE 80, Indiana 58
Purdue 67, MICHIGAN STATE 63
WISCONSIN 70, Northwestern 56
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
CANISIUS 66, Loyola (Md.) 65
IONA 72, Fairfield 65
NIAGARA 65, Manhattan 59
RIDER 69, Saint Peter's 62
SIENA 71, Marist 58
Mid-American Conference
Western Michigan 65, EASTERN MICHIGAN 64
Pacific-10 Conference
WASHINGTON 86, Washington State 72
Southland Conference
Stephen F. Austin 62, TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI 54
Sun Belt Conference
Florida Atlantic 71, SOUTH ALABAMA 69

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 574-251 (.696)
ATS: 420-433 (.492)
ATS Vary Units: 1037-1069 (.492)
Over/Under: 441-428 (.507)
Over/Under Vary Units: 525-542 (.492)

INDIANA 106, Phoenix 105
OKLAHOMA CITY 102, L.A. Lakers 100
Philadelphia 103, CLEVELAND 96
Golden State 110, MINNESOTA 107
ORLANDO 98, Charlotte 88
Dallas 105, TORONTO 97
NEW ORLEANS 102, Houston 99
SAN ANTONIO 103, Memphis 94
MIAMI 109, New York 98
PORTLAND 94, Atlanta 90

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NHL

Season: 276-221 (.555)

Tampa Bay vs. N.Y. RANGERS: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
NASHVILLE 3, Columbus 2
Toronto vs. ATLANTA: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
New Jersey vs. FLORIDA: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Phoenix vs. CHICAGO: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
St. Louis vs. CALGARY: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Boston vs. EDMONTON: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
ANAHEIM 4, Colorado 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gamblers Data

Bonus Play Sunday

Seattle Mariners -125

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WeeklyWinningSports Picks

7* NCAAB FOR SUNDAY:
2PM - Western Michigan +0

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Winning Side Sports

Sunday:
7:45pm (North Carolina -6) (4* game)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports

604- 448 57 % Run On Bonus Plays over 2 1/2 YEARS !

Free winner Sun St Peter's + 5 1/2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with San Diego State (-3) yesterday.

Today it's Louisville. The deficit is 505 sirignanos.

 

[superbeets]

NCAA Basketball Picks



West Virginia at Rutgers



The Mountaineers look to take advantage of a Rutgers team that is coming off a 55-37 home loss to Louisville and is 3-15 ATS in its last 18 games following a double-digit loss at home. West Virginia is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Mountaineers favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (-3). Here are all of today's games.


SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST

Game 821-822: West Virginia at Rutgers (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: West Virginia 69.913; Rutgers 62.627
Dunkel Line: West Virginia by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: West Virginia by 3
Dunkel Pick: West Virginia (-3)

Game 823-824: Connecticut at Cincinnati (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 69.655; Cincinnati 70.692
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 4
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (+4)

Game 825-826: Xavier at Dayton (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Xavier 64.803; Dayton 65.667
Dunkel Line: Dayton by 1
Vegas Line: Xavier by 3
Dunkel Pick: Dayton (+3)

Game 827-828: Massachusetts at LaSalle (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Massachusetts 51.917; LaSalle 56.628
Dunkel Line: LaSalle by 4 1/2
Vegas Line: LaSalle by 1 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LaSalle (-1 1/2)

Game 829-830: Pittsburgh at Louisville (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 72.685; Louisville 75.517
Dunkel Line: Louisville by 3
Vegas Line: Louisville by 1
Dunkel Pick: Louisville (-1)

Game 831-832: Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Western Michigan 53.859; Eastern Michigan 52.185
Dunkel Line: Western Michigan by 1 1/2
Vegas Line: Pick
Dunkel Pick: Western Michigan

Game 833-834: Providence at Marquette (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Providence 61.031; Marquette 68.234
Dunkel Line: Marquette by 7
Vegas Line: Marquette by 10
Dunkel Pick: Providence (+10)

Game 835-836: Florida Atlantic at South Alabama (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Florida Atlantic 51.606; South Alabama 44.157
Dunkel Line: Florida Atlantic by 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Florida Atlantic by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Florida Atlantic (-2 1/2)

Game 837-838: Northwestern at Wisconsin (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Northwestern 60.865; Wisconsin 77.228
Dunkel Line: Wisconsin by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: Wisconsin by 12
Dunkel Pick: Wisconsin (-12)

Game 839-840: Maryland at North Carolina (7:45 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Maryland 69.741; North Carolina 72.694
Dunkel Line: North Carolina by 3
Vegas Line: North Carolina by 6
Dunkel Pick: Maryland (+6)

Game 841-842: Washington State at Washington (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington State 60.056; Washington 75.073
Dunkel Line: Washington by 15
Vegas Line: Washington by 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-11 1/2)

Game 843-844: St. Peter's at Rider (1:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Peter's 55.478; Rider 56.059
Dunkel Line: Rider by 1
Vegas Line: Rider by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Peter's (+5 1/2)

Game 845-846: Manhattan at Niagara (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Manhattan 40.859; Niagara 47.027
Dunkel Line: Niagara by 6
Vegas Line: Niagara by 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Niagara (-4 1/2)

Game 847-848: Loyola-MD at Canisius (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-MD 53.739; Canisius 54.684
Dunkel Line: Canisius by 1
Vegas Line: Canisius by 3
Dunkel Pick: Loyola-MD (+3)

Game 849-850: Fairfield at Iona (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Fairfield 55.104; Iona 58.415
Dunkel Line: Iona by 3 1/2
Vegas Line: Iona by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Fairfield (+6 1/2)

Game 851-852: Marist at Siena (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Marist 37.553; Siena 53.764
Dunkel Line: Siena by 16
Vegas Line: Siena by 14 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Siena (-14 1/2)

Game 861-862: Boston U at Vermont (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston U 54.652; Vermont 55.047
Dunkel Line: Vermont by 1
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 863-864: Binghamton at Stony Brook (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Binghamton 44.188; Stony Brook 48.984
Dunkel Line: Stony Brook by 5
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 865-866: New Hampshire at Hartford (3:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Hampshire 42.021; Hartford 41.996
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 867-868: Albany at Maine (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Albany 47.234; Maine 50.102
Dunkel Line: Maine by 3
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 869-870: Purdue at Michigan State (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Purdue 70.651; Michigan State 72.452
Dunkel Line: Michigan State by 2
Vegas Line: Purdue by 1
Dunkel Pick: Michigan State (+1)

Game 871-872: Indiana at Ohio State (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 60.632; Ohio State 77.174
Dunkel Line: Ohio State by 16 1/2
Vegas Line: Ohio State by 18
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+18)

 

[superbeets]

Today's NBA Picks



New York at Miami



The Heat look to take advantage of a New York team that is coming off a 115-109 loss at Cleveland and is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games after scoring 100 points or more in the previous game. Miami is the pick (-8 1/2) according to Dunkel which has the Heat favored by 12 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Miami (-8 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.


SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Time Posted: 8:30 a.m. EST

Game 801-802: Phoenix at Indiana (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 120.055; Indiana 123.741
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 3 1/2; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 2 1/2; 213 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-2 1/2); Under

Game 803-804: LA Lakers at Oklahoma City (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 120.875; Oklahoma City 118.929
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 2; 205
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 1; 201
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+1); Over

Game 805-806: Golden State at Minnesota (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 118.817; Minnesota 112.441
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 6 1/2; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 2 1/2; 211
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-2 1/2); Under

Game 807-808: Philadelphia at Cleveland (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 123.532; Cleveland 111.639
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 12; 222
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 809-810: Dallas at Toronto (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 119.509; Toronto 112.409
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 7; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 8 1/2; 206 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+8 1/2); Over

Game 811-812: Charlotte at Orlando (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 114.855; Orlando 128.007
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 13; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 10; 193 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-10); Under

Game 813-814: Houston at New Orleans (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 114.783; New Orleans 118.454
Dunkel Line & Total: New Orleans by 4; 202
Vegas Line & Total: New Orleans by 6; 199
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+6); Over

Game 815-816: Memphis at San Antonio (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 116.954; San Antonio 128.254
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 11 1/2; 194
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 8 1/2; 197
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-8 1/2); Under

Game 817-818: New York at Miami (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 115.545; Miami 128.187
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 12 1/2; 223
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 8 1/2; 216
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-8 1/2); Over

Game 819-820: Atlanta at Portland (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 115.961; Portland 115.887
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 180
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A