Dr Bob
3* Tenn
2* Penn ST
2* Air Force
NBA Opinion
MIAMI (+1) over L.A. Lakers
Miami has lost 5 straight games and 7 straight games to the spread. The Lakers are 8-0 straight up and 7-1 ATS since the All-Star Break. The obvious side in this game seems to be the Lakers, but the NBA is a contrary sport and the Lakers apply to a 52-116-2 ATS road letdown situation while winning teams on a bad streak are good bets as a home underdog or pick (after at least 1 night off) against a good team off a win. My ratings favor Miami by 1 point and the Heat won in L.A. by 16 points on Christmas, so they should have the confidence to win this game. I’ll lean with Miami to break their losing streak.
Thursday Night College Opinion/Possible Best Bet
Maryland (-6) over NC State
Maryland beat up on bad teams early in the season, but the Terrapins had trouble beating good teams. NC State is not a good team and the Wolfpack also had trouble with teams that were better than them (7-1-1 ATS as a favorite, just 3-13 ATS as an underdog) and Maryland applies to a 22-2-1 ATS subset of a 70-31-4 ATS bounce-back situation that is based on their consecutive losses as a favorite. My ratings favor Maryland by 5 ½ points and the line has gone from -4 ½ to -6 points. I’ll lean with the Terrapins at -6 and I’d take Maryland in a 2-Star Best Bet at -5 or less.
3* Tenn
2* Penn ST
2* Air Force
NBA Opinion
MIAMI (+1) over L.A. Lakers
Miami has lost 5 straight games and 7 straight games to the spread. The Lakers are 8-0 straight up and 7-1 ATS since the All-Star Break. The obvious side in this game seems to be the Lakers, but the NBA is a contrary sport and the Lakers apply to a 52-116-2 ATS road letdown situation while winning teams on a bad streak are good bets as a home underdog or pick (after at least 1 night off) against a good team off a win. My ratings favor Miami by 1 point and the Heat won in L.A. by 16 points on Christmas, so they should have the confidence to win this game. I’ll lean with Miami to break their losing streak.
Thursday Night College Opinion/Possible Best Bet
Maryland (-6) over NC State
Maryland beat up on bad teams early in the season, but the Terrapins had trouble beating good teams. NC State is not a good team and the Wolfpack also had trouble with teams that were better than them (7-1-1 ATS as a favorite, just 3-13 ATS as an underdog) and Maryland applies to a 22-2-1 ATS subset of a 70-31-4 ATS bounce-back situation that is based on their consecutive losses as a favorite. My ratings favor Maryland by 5 ½ points and the line has gone from -4 ½ to -6 points. I’ll lean with the Terrapins at -6 and I’d take Maryland in a 2-Star Best Bet at -5 or less.
