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Ice picks: Today's best NHL bets

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers (110, 5.5)

If the Rangers had any goals left in the tank, they spent them all during last week’s two-game winning streak in which they piled up 14 goals against the Canadiens and Lightning.

New York hasn’t found the net in its past two games, getting shutout by the Flyers and Habs, who defeated the Rangers 6-0 in Montreal Saturday night. The Canadiens actually had one less shot than New York (32 to 31) but erupted for a four-goal second period in which they outshot the Rangers 11-7.

Saturday’s loss was the fourth time New York has been shutout in the past seven games, going 2-5 in that span with an over/under record of 3-3-1.

"Once in a blue moon, sometimes it's going to happen in sports," Chris Drury told the New York Daily News. "But it's happened to us a few times already this year."

Star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was yanked six minutes into the second period after allowing four goals on 15 shots. In his last start against the Penguins, Lundqvist gave up four goals on 32 shots in a 5-3 Pittsburgh victory back in late November.

Pick: Pittsburgh


St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames (-160, 5)

The Flames are burning through options on how to stop their six-game losing skid. Calgary has just three wins this month and dropped its sixth straight contest, 3-1, to the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday.

The current losing streak has prompted trade rumors around the team. General Manager Darryl Sutter told the media not to expect a severe overhaul in talent while he is trying to be patient with his team.

“The last 10 games we haven’t played very well,” Sutter told the Calgary Herald. “The first 20, the first 40, we were in and out of first place (in the Northwest Division) on a game-to-game basis — that’s pretty awesome. The last 10 we haven’t played very well, and we need to play better.”

The Flames have struggled at both ends of the ice. During this six-game funk, Calgary has scored only nine total goals – 1.5 goals per game – and has allowed opponents to light the lamp four times a night.

Add to those woes a shaky dressing room where players don’t know where they could end up by the end of the month.

Pick: St. Louis

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports
389 - 275 run 58 %

Free Play 8-3 run Monday Syracuse - 5

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RedZone Sports
free internet play
Kansas/Missouri over (NCAAB)

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CAPPERS ACCESS

Georgetown
Missouri

[Can'tPickaWinner]

DCI
Season
Straight Up: 2338-717 (.765)
ATS: 935-946 (.497)
ATS Vary Units: 2800-2881 (.493)
Over/Under: 773-771 (.501)
Over/Under Vary Units: 1182-1160 (.505)

Big 12 Conference
KANSAS 84, Missouri 71
Big East Conference
SYRACUSE 79, Georgetown 70
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Bethune-Cookman 62, HOWARD 61
Delaware State 58, COPPIN STATE 57
HAMPTON 65, Florida A&M 57
MORGAN STATE 81, Umes 57
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 81, Norfolk State 69
Southern Conference
College of Charleston 80, WESTERN CAROLINA 78
Samford vs. FURMAN: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
WOFFORD 76, Chattanooga 60
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Alabama A&M 78, ALCORN STATE 72
Alabama State 70, SOUTHERN 62
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 72, Mississippi Valley State 62
TEXAS SOUTHERN 69, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 68
Western Athletic Conference
IDAHO 78, Boise State 70
Non-Conference
Jacksonville 64, SAVANNAH STATE 57
North Carolina A&T 69, WINSTON-SALEM STATE 67
Saint Joseph's 76, PENN 67
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 71, Western Kentucky 65
TENNESSEE-MARTIN 76, SIU Edwardsville 70
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 71, TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN 61
UT ARLINGTON 86, Houston Baptist 73

[Can'tPickaWinner]

DCI
Season: 260-177 (.595)

Pittsburgh vs. N.Y. RANGERS: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
CALGARY 3, St. Louis 2
VANCOUVER 4, Buffalo 3

[Can'tPickaWinner]

DCI
Season
Straight Up: 430-186 (.698)
ATS: 346-293 (.541)
ATS Vary Units: 860-718 (.545)
Over/Under: 317-322 (.496)
Over/Under Vary Units: 466-484 (.491)

PHILADELPHIA 105, Indiana 99
BOSTON 101, L.A. Clippers 91
Cleveland 96, MIAMI 93
Orlando vs. MEMPHIS: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
HOUSTON 98, Atlanta 97
SAN ANTONIO 100, Chicago 94
DENVER 103, Charlotte 95
UTAH 113, Phoenix 105
PORTLAND 99, New Orleans 90

[Can'tPickaWinner]

JMORRISON NBA system 1/25 V1

Charlotte (A)
Denver

[Anthonyd4]

Atskings


Rex Rodgers

3* Calgary Flames -160
3* Vancouver Canucks -145



Tony Taylor

3* Syracuse Orange -5.5

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with the Jets (+8) yesterday.

Today it's Western Carolina. The deficit is 380 sirignanos.

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Joe wiz free plays

grizzlies
pacers
boise st

[Can'tPickaWinner]

NBA DUNKEL


Cleveland at Miami
The Cavaliers look to build on their 5-2 ATS record in their last 7 meetings in Miami. Cleveland is the pick (-1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Cavaliers favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-1 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

Game 701-702: Indiana at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 112.765; Philadelphia 118.318
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 5 1/2; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia by 4 1/2; 206
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-4 1/2); Over

Game 703-704: Cleveland at Miami
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 124.858; Miami 119.664
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 5; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 1 1/2; 190
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-1 1/2); Over

Game 705-706: LA Clippers at Boston
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 116.562; Boston 123.636
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 7; 191
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 707-708: Orlando at Memphis
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 122.324; Memphis 125.175
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 3; 206
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 1; 204
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-1); Over

Game 709-710: Chicago at San Antonio
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 118.238; San Antonio 123.214
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 5; 194
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 711-712: Atlanta at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 121.646; Houston 119.264
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 2 1/2; 203
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 1 1/2; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+1 1/2); Over

Game 713-714: Phoenix at Utah
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 117.088; Utah 127.516
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 10 1/2; 227
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 6 1/2; 219 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-6 1/2); Over

Game 715-716: Charlotte at Denver
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 123.543; Denver 124.563
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 1; 210
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 717-718: New Orleans at Portland
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 115.350; Portland 123.671
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 8 1/2; 190
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

[Can'tPickaWinner]

NBA WRITE-UP

Monday, January 25

Hot Teams
-- 76ers are 5-3 in their last eight games.
-- Miami won five of its last seven games. Cavaliers won last four games, but are 1-4-1 vs spread in last six.
-- Clippers won three of their last four games.
-- Grizzlies won five of their last six games. Magic won last three games, by 11-16-11 points.
-- Bulls won six of their last eight games.
-- Hawks won five of their last six games.
-- Utah won six of its last seven games.
-- Nuggets won last five games, scoring 115.4 ppg. Bobcats won nine of last twelve games, but lost last two.
-- Trailblazers won three of their last four home games. Hornets are 6-1 SU in game following their last seven losses.

Cold Teams
-- Philadelphia lost four of its last five games.
-- Celtics lost three of last four games, covered one of last six.
-- San Antonio lost four of its last five games.
-- Rockets covered two of their last ten games.
-- Suns lost five of their last seven games.

Totals
-- Pacers' last five games all stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Cleveland games went over the total; four of last five Miami games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Boston games stayed under the total; six of last eight Clipper games went over.
-- Six of last eight Orlando games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Chicago games went over the total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in Atlanta's last five games; last six Houston games all went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Utah games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Charlotte games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten Portland games went over the total.

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best NBA bets

New Orleans Hornets at Portland Trail Blazers (N/A)

Just when the Blazers thought their injury issues were working themselves out, their backcourt is two men down heading into the week.

Brandon Roy returned from the tender hamstring injury last Wednesday, but left after playing just over 18 minutes. He sat of the next two games against the Celtics and Pistons, in which the team went 1-1 and covered as road underdogs in both, and is expected to miss at least two more games.

The talented two guard leads Portland in scoring with 23 points per game and is the latest player on the team’s laundry list of ailments. Fellow guard Jered Bayless is also out with an injury. He sprained his ankle against Boston and sat out this weekend’s tilt with Detroit.

Bayless, who is listed as questionable, had picked up his production with Roy out of action. He scored 18 points in last week’s win over Philadelphia and netted 12 points against the Celtics before leaving the game.

That leaves the Blazers with just three reserve players and no one to guard New Orleans point man Chris Paul, who is coming off a 26-point, 10-assist performance in a loss to the Nuggets Saturday.

Pick: New Orleans


Charlotte Bobcats at Denver Nuggets (N/A)

The Nuggets are making their backers sweat in recent games. Denver has gone to overtime in two of its last three contests, including Saturday’s 116-110 win over the New Orleans Hornets.

That win was the Nuggets’ sixth straight victory, however, they have posted a dismal 2-3-1 mark against the spread in this span.

All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, who scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the win, rolled his ankle late in the game but stayed on the floor to ice the game with two free throws.

"It's better than I thought," Anthony told reporters following the game. "It looked pretty bad at first, but it's better than I thought. We'll see how it is (Sunday)."

Denver has had trouble putting opponents away in the second half. The Nuggets took a 79-78 lead into the fourth quarter Saturday and Anthony missed two chances to end the game in regulation.

The Nuggets have an impressive 20-3 record inside the Pepsi Center, but books have pumped up the chalk so much that backers boast just a 12-10-1 ATS mark.

Pick: Charlotte

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Game of day: Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat

Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat (+1.5, 190)

Prior engagement

The Cavaliers and Heat have met once this season, with Cleveland going into Miami as a 1-point underdog and coming away with a 111-104 victory on Nov. 12.

LeBron James (34 points) and Dwyane Wade (36 points) put on an entertaining two-man show as the superstars went a combined 31-of-38 from the free-throw line. James, however, got plenty of help from three teammates who contributed at least 14 points, including 18 courtesy of J.J. Hickson.

In Monday’s meeting, however, the Cleveland supporting cast will be considerably undermanned.

Infirmary report

While the Cavs are without question one of the best teams in the NBA, they are also one of the most banged up.

Delonte West (7.4 ppg, 2.9 apg) fractured his left ring finger in a victory over the Lakers Thursday night and will be re-evaluated later this week. West joins backcourt mate Mo Williams on the sidelines, as Williams (16.9 ppg, 5.1 apg) is expected to miss up to six weeks with a shoulder injury before a possible late-February return.

“Hopefully it shows the depth of our team; starting Delonte and getting (Daniel Gibson) back into the rotation and seeing if we can hold down the fort until he’s able to come back,” coach Mike Brown told reporters about playing with Williams.

The return of Jamario Moon could alleviate some of Cleveland’s issues, but Moon has missed eight straight games with an abdominal strain and he is listed as questionable.

Miami, on the other hand, is enjoying a clean bill of health.

King’s court

LeBron (29.9 ppg) has been especially dominant lately and he will surely be looking to put the team on his back to an even greater extent in the absence of West and Williams.

James has scored more than 30 points in seven of his last eight contests, including a 41-point performance in a win over Portland Jan. 10. He is coming off back-to-back 37-point showings in victories over the Lakers and Thunder. LeBron has not scored fewer than 23 points since a trip to Atlanta Dec. 29, a span of 12 games.

“I don't really pay attention to where I rank in the scoring leaders,” noted LeBron, who is now No. 1 in scoring, 0.2 ppg ahead of Carmelo Anthony. “I don't look at myself as a scorer. I go out there and score sometimes, but I'd much rather be known as an all-around player. I’m just playing my game.”

Hot and cold

The Heat have been remarkably up-and-down this season and their last three games are a perfect microcosm. Last Wednesday, Miami went into Charlotte and got embarrassed by the Bobcats 104-65.

“We have a very, very, very ugly side to us,” coach Erik Spoelstra told the media afterward.

But how did Spoelstra’s team respond? By suddenly showing their other side, of course.

In back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, the Heat crushed Washington 112-88 on the road before returning home and hammering Sacramento 115-84.

“It's in our heads,” explained Michael Beasley (16.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg). “Some games we've got all the energy in the world. Some games we just don't. I think if we stay consistent, there's no limit on how far we can go this season.”

Trending topics

Although the Cavs have won four straight games and six of their last seven, they are not exactly on fire ATS. Cleveland is 1-4-1 ATS in its last six games overall, 1-4-1 ATS in its last six on the road and 1-4 ATS in its last five against Eastern Conference opposition.

The Heat, on the other hand, are 5-2 ATS in their last seven outings overall, 5-2 ATS in their last seven at home and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 against the Eastern Conference.

Neither the Cavs (20-23-2 O/U) nor the Heat (20-23 O/U) have been particularly strong over/under plays this season, however, the under has been more successful with both. The under is 4-1 in Miami’s last five overall, but the over is 5-2 in Cleveland’s last seven overall.

Head-to-head, the Cavs are 5-2 ATS in their last seven trips to Miami. The over is 4-0 in the Heat’s last four home dates with Cleveland.

[Can'tPickaWinner]

NCAAB DUNKEL


Georgetown at Syracuse
The Orange look to build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 games as a favorite from 1 to 6 1/2 points. Syracuse is the pick (-5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Orange favored by 8 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Syracuse (-5 1/2). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

Game 719-720: Georgetown at Syracuse
Dunkel Ratings: Georgetown 70.315; Syracuse 78.733
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Syracuse (-5 1/2)

Game 721-722: St. Joseph's at Pennsylvania
Dunkel Ratings: St. Joseph's 52.410; Pennsylvania 40.966
Dunkel Line: St. Joseph's by 11 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Joseph's by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Joseph's (-6 1/2)

Game 723-724: Western Kentucky at Southern Illinois
Dunkel Ratings: Western Kentucky 52.752; Southern Illinois 60.523
Dunkel Line: Southern Illinois by 8
Vegas Line: Southern Illinois by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Southern Illinois (-5 1/2)

Game 725-726: Missouri at Kansas
Dunkel Ratings: Missouri 70.784; Kansas 82.021
Dunkel Line: Kansas by 11
Vegas Line: Kansas by 12
Dunkel Pick: Missouri (+12)

Game 727-728: Boise State at Idaho
Dunkel Ratings: Boise State 53.159; Idaho 58.057
Dunkel Line: Idaho by 5
Vegas Line: Idaho by 7
Dunkel Pick: Boise State (+7)

Game 729-730: Chattanooga at Wofford
Dunkel Ratings: Chattanooga 50.290; Wofford 60.507
Dunkel Line: Wofford by 10
Vegas Line: Wofford by 13 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chattanooga (+13 1/2)

Game 731-732: College of Charleston at Western Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: College of Charleston 55.960; Western Carolina 58.710
Dunkel Line: Western Carolina by 3
Vegas Line: Western Carolina by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: College of Charleston (+6 1/2)

Game 733-734: Samford at Furman
Dunkel Ratings: Samford 46.969; Furman 51.148
Dunkel Line: Furman by 4
Vegas Line: Furman by 2
Dunkel Pick: Furman (-2)

Game 735-736: Delaware State at Coppin State
Dunkel Ratings: Delaware State 43.521; Coppin State 43.279
Dunkel Line: Even
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 737-738: Alabama State at Southern
Dunkel Ratings: Alabama State 40.708; Southern 36.762
Dunkel Line: Alabama State by 4
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

[Can'tPickaWinner]

NCAAB WRITE-UP

Monday, January 25

Information on Monday's college basketball games........

Home side won last seven Georgetown-Syracuse games; Hoyas lost last four visits here by 5-14-7-4 points, with two losses in OT. Hoyas won four of last five games; they're 2-1 as Big East road dog, losing on road by 3 at Marquette, 5 at Villanova. Orangemen won last five in a row, are 0-2-1 as home fave, winning by 17-7. Big East home favorites: 19-18.

Penn is 1-12, 0-9 against teams in top 200, with all nine losses by nine or more points; Quakers lost last three games vs St Joe's by 12-40-10 points. St Joe's upset 14-5 Dayton Saturday after beating Towson State by 7 before that. Atlantic 14 favorites are 30-26 vs spread in non-league games. Ivy League underdogs are 18-20 against the spread.

Western Kentucky lost last three games, by 1-8-10 points; they're 1-1 vs MVC teams, beating Evansville by 6, losing by a point to Indiana St. Sun Belt road underdogs are 23-28 against the spread. Salukis lost five of last seven games but did beat Illinois State by point at home Saturday. MVC home favorites are 13-11 against spread in non-league games.

Kansas has 53-game home win streak, longest in country; they've won six of last seven games vs rival Missouri, winning last six played here by 9-12-33-3-19-25 points (2-3 vs spread in last five). Kansas won three of four road games, losing at Tennessee, winning other three by 12-32-17 points. Missouri won nine of its last ten games; they're an underdog for the first time all season. Big 12 home favorites are 12-7 vs spread.

Idaho beat Boise State twice LY, by 4-2 points after losing previous ten games vs Broncos; Boise's last five wins at Idaho are by 12-3-18-14-11 points. Broncos are 0-7 in WAC, 2-2 as road dog, losing away games by 2-8-2-22 points; they're 1-5 vs spread in last six games. Idaho lost its last four games; they're 0-2 as WAC favorite. WAC home faves: 10-9.

Wofford, Chattanooga are both playing third game in five nights; Terriers split pair of two-point verdicts last week, losing at Charleston, beating Citadel- they've won five of their last six games, are 3-2-1 as favorite in SoCon. Mocs lost last three games by 24-13-3 points; they're 1-3 as a SoCon underdog. SoCon home favorites are 14-17 against the spread.

Charleston is 8-0 in SoCon, covering last five games; they're 4-0 on road in league, winning as dogs at Citadel/Samford. Western Carolina is 3-0 at home in SoCon (1-2 as home favorite), winning by 5-10-2 points- they lost by 13 at Appalachian State Saturday, putting ASU on line 43 times. Cougars haven'tlost since Christmas Day against Western Michigan.

Samford, Furman are both playing third game in five nites; coach Tillette had seizure on sideline Saturday, is in hospital. Bulldogs are 2-1 on road in SoCon, losing by 10 at Davidson, winning last two games, at Elon by 1, NC-Greensboro by 3. Furman lost four of last five games; they're 1-2 at home, beating Georgia Southern, losing to Davidson and W. Carolina.

[Can'tPickaWinner]

NHL DUNKEL


Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
The Rangers look to take advantage of a Pittsburgh team that is coming off a 2-1 victory in Philadelphia and is 1-6 in its last 7 games following a win. New York is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Rangers favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+110). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

Game 1-2: Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 11.796; NY Rangers 12.278
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Pittsburgh (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (+110); Under

Game 3-4: St. Louis at Calgary
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 11.416; Calgary 12.177
Dunkel Line & Total: Calgary by 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Calgary (-160); 5
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-160); Under

Game 5-6: Buffalo at Vancouver
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 13.741; Vancouver 12.517
Dunkel Line & Total: Buffalo by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Buffalo (+125); Over

[Can'tPickaWinner]

NHL WRITE-UP

Monday, January 25

Hot Teams
-- Penguins won five of their last six games.
-- Canucks won their last four games, outscoring opponents 18-8.

Cold Teams
-- Rangers lost five of last seven games, getting shut out in last two.
-- Calgary lost its last six games, outscored 24-9. Blues lost three of their last four games.
-- Sabres lost four of their last five games.

Totals
-- Under is 10-3 in Rangers' last thirteen home games.
-- Under is 10-2-2 in last fourteen Calgary games.
-- Last four Buffalo games went over the total.

Playing second of back-to-back nights
-- Pittsburgh is 3-2 on road when it played the day before.

Series Records
-- Penguins won their last six games against the Rangers.
-- Blues won three of their last four games against Calgary.

[Can'tPickaWinner]

SPORTS ADVISORS

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

NBA

Cleveland (34-11, 21-23-1 ATS) at Miami (23-20, 22-21 ATS)

The Cavaliers shoot for their fifth straight victory when they visit American Airlines Arena in Miami for an Eastern Conference showdown with the Heat.

Cleveland has rattled off four straight wins (1-3 ATS), including Saturday’s narrow 100-99 victory over the Thunder, coming up well short as an eight-point home favorite. LeBron James just missed a triple-double with 37 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in the win. The Cavs are 17-8 on the road this season (14-10-1 ATS), scoring 101 points a game while allowing just 96.1.

Miami has won two straight (SU and ATS), including Saturday’s 115-84 drubbing of the Kings in Florida, easily cashing as a seven-point favorite. Dwyane Wade had 27 points and eight assists and second-year forward Michael Beasley had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way for the Heat. They are just 13-10 (11-12 ATS) in front of the home fans, averaging 97.8 points a game while giving up 93.2 per home contest.

The Cavs have won and covered in three straight series clashes, including a 111-104 win in Miami on Nov. 12, cashing as one-point underdogs. They are 7-1 (5-3 ATS) in the last eight head-to-head meetings and 5-2 ATS in the last seven clashes in South Beach.

Cleveland comes into this one on ATS slides of 1-4-1 on the road, 1-4-1 overall, and 1-7-1 after a straight up win, but it is 36-15-1 ATS in its last 52 Monday outings. Miami is on positive ATS runs of 5-2 at home, 6-1 against Central Division teams and 7-3 against the Eastern Conference, but they are on ATS skids of 4-11 on Mondays and 2-5 after a spread-cover.

For the Cavaliers, the “over” is 5-2 in their last seven overall and their last seven against teams with winning records. The Heat are on “under” runs of 4-1 overall, 5-2 at home, 21-7 after a straight-up win and 4-1 against Central Division teams. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in each of the last four.

ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE


Atlanta (28-14 SU and ATS) at Houston (24-19, 22-21 ATS)

The Hawks begin a stretch of 10 of 14 road games when they visit the Toyota Center for a matchup against the Rockets.

Atlanta wrapped up a 4-1 (3-2 ATS) homestand on Friday with a 103-89 win over the Bobcats, cashing as a 6 ½-point favorite. Four of their five starters reached double-digits in points with center Al Horford leading the way with 23 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks are just 10-9 (12-7 ATS) on the road this season where they averaged 98.1 points a game and allow 97.9 per contest.

Houston has won just four of its last 10 overall, but managed to cash in just two of those 10. Friday, the Rockets fell 104-97 at home to the Bulls as six-point favorites. They have lost two of four at home and failed to cash in any of those four, but for the season they are 13-6 (11-8 ATS) in front of the home fans.

The Hawks won the earlier matchup this season between these two, taking a 105-103 win at home on Nov. 20, coming up short as a seven-point chalk. The Rockets have cashed in five straight and eight of the last 10 series meetings. The home team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 clashes and the chalk has gotten the cash in seven of the last 10.

Atlanta is on positive ATS streaks of 18-7-1 against Western Conference teams and 6-2 as a road ‘dog. Houston is on ATS runs of 34-16-1 against Southeast Division teams and 7-3 after getting a day off, but it is on ATS slides of 0-4 at home, 1-5 overall, 2-5 after a non-cover and 3-7 as a favorite of up to 4 ½ points.

The Hawks are on “under” streaks of 9-3 on Mondays, 12-5 as pups, 4-1 after two days off and 6-1 after a straight-up win. Meanwhile, the Rockets are on “over” runs of 6-0 overall, 4-0 at home, 4-0 after a non-cover and 4-0 as a chalk. These two teams have topped the total in four of their last six meetings.

ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER


Phoenix (26-19, 23-22 ATS) at Utah (25-18, 25-16-2 ATS)

The slumping Suns head to EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City to take on the red-hot Jazz in a matchup of Western Conference playoff contenders.

Phoenix has dropped five of its last seven overall and failed to cash in seven of its last nine, including Saturday’s 112-103 home win over Golden State, narrowly missing as an 11 ½-point chalk. The Suns are just 9-14 on the road (11-12 ATS) where they give up a whopping 109.8 points a game and 46.8 percent shooting.

Utah has won six of seven overall and gone 7-0-2 ATS in its last nine overall. The Jazz clobbered the Nets 116-83 at home on Saturday, covering as 16 ½-point favorites and led offensively by Mehmet Okur (20 points and 11 rebounds) and Carlos Boozer (22 points and nine rebounds). They are 17-6 (15-7-1 ATS) in front of the home fans this season and average 105.2 points a game at home and shoot an amazing 51.2 percent from the floor.

The home team has won four straight (2-2 ATS) in this rivalry and six of the last seven (3-4 ATS) overall. The two teams split last season’s four games with the host getting the win each night, however the road team is 11-4 ATS in the last 15 clashes. Utah is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings with the underdog cashing in 16 of the last 23.

Phoenix is on several ATS slides, including 1-4 overall, 2-5 on the road and 6-13-1 as a road ‘dog of 5 to 10 1/2 points. Utah is on nothing but positive ATS runs, including 12-3-1 at home, 22-8 on Mondays, 4-0 after getting a day off, 4-0-1 against the Western conference, 4-0-1 as a favorite and 5-0-2 after a straight-up win.

The Suns have topped the total in five of seven on the road, four of five as ‘dogs and nine of 11 against the Western Conference, but they have stayed “under” the total in 16 of 23 after a non-cover and nine of 12 on the road against teams with winning home records. Meanwhile, the Jazz are on “over” streaks of 5-2 overall, 5-1 on Mondays and 4-1 against Western Conference foes. In this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in four of the last five.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UTAH


COLLEGE BASKETBALL

(12) Georgetown (15-3, 8-6 ATS) at (5) Syracuse (19-1, 12-4 ATS)

The Orange are looking for their seventh straight win as they welcome their longtime rival Georgetown to the Carrier Dome in this Big East confrontation.

The Hoyas have won two straight, including an 88-63 home blowout of Rutgers on Saturday, cashing as whopping 19½-point favorites. Four of five starters reached double digits in scoring, with Greg Monroe leading the way with 21 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Georgetown is 7-2 in games away from home (5-2 ATS), where they crank up the defensive pressure, allowing just 60.3 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting.

Syracuse had won and cashed in five straight until Saturday when the Orange beat Marquette 76-71 at home but fell short as 8½-point favorites, getting 22 points and 15 rebounds from Wesley Johnson. The Orange average 84.4 ppg at home and shoot a stellar 54.1 percent from the floor while holding the opposition to 62.1 ppg and 36.9 percent shooting.

The home team has won five straight (4-1 ATS) and seven of eight (5-3 ATS) in this rivalry with Syracuse cashing in five of the last six. The Orange scored a 98-94 OT win at home last season, cashing as 3½-point favorites. Syracuse is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in New York.

Georgetown is 5-2 ATS in the last seven road games, but it is on negative ATS streaks of 7-19 in Big East play, 4-10 on Mondays and 6-21-1 after a spread-cover. Syracuse is on a plethora of positive ATS runs, including 21-6 overall, 12-4 at home, 12-3 in Big East action and 4-0 after a non-cover.

The Hoyas have stayed “under” the total in six of seven on Mondays and six of eight after a spread-cover, but they’ve topped the total in five straight overall and five straight conference games. The Orangemen have stayed below the number in eight of 11 on Mondays and five of six after a non-cover, but they are on “over” runs of 4-1 at home and 19-7 after a straight-up win. Finally, the “over” has been the play in each of the last three head-to-head meetings.

ATS ADVANTAGE: SYRACUSE


Missouri (15-4, 8-5 ATS) at (3) Kansas (18-1, 8-7-1 ATS)

Two of the top three teams in the Big 12 square off inside Allen Fieldhouse at Lawrence, Kan., as Missouri meets the Jayhawks.

The Tigers had their nine-game winning streak (4-1 ATS) snapped on Jan. 16 at Oklahoma, falling 66-61 as 3½-point road favorites. But they rebounded and clubbed Nebraska 70-53 at home on Saturday, getting the cash as a 13-point chalk. Missouri is just 2-4 (2-3 ATS) on the road this season and give up a whopping 76 points a game while managing just 74.2 with the offense on 38.4 percent shooting.

Kansas has won four straight (2-1-1 ATS) since losing their only game this season at Tennessee on Jan. 10. Saturday the Jayhawks went to Iowa State and got an 84-61 win as 11 ½-point favorites, led by Cole Aldrich’s 19 points and 11 rebounds. Kansas shoots 50.4 percent from the floor inside Allen Fieldhouse and puts up 89.5 points a game while allowing just 60.5 points and limiting the opposition to 36 percent shooting.

The Jayhawks have won six of the last seven series clashes (5-2 ATS), including a 90-65 home win as a 4 ½-point favorite last season.

Missouri has cashed in six of seven conference games and four of five overall, but the Tigers are on ATS slides of 16-35 on the road, 8-22 on the road against teams with winning home records and 1-4 on Mondays. Kansas has failed to cover in four straight after a spread-cover, but it is on several ATS streaks, including 34-16-2 overall, 35-17-1 at home, 10-1 on Mondays and 19-6-2 in Big 12 action.

The Tigers have stayed below the total in six of seven Big 12 games but they’ve gone “over” the number in six of eight road games, seven of eight Monday outings and six of eight on the road against teams with winning home records. Kansas is on several “under” runs, including 7-3 overall, 20-6 after a straight-up win, 5-1 at home, 8-2 following a spread-cover and 11-1 at home against teams with a losing road record. Finally, in this rivalry, the “over” has been the play in six of the last nine clashes dating to 2005.

ATS ADVANTAGE: KANSAS and OVER

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Joey Torelli

Houston Rockets -1 (5* Play)

[tinfw17]

Jim Feist's 15-4, 79% 20* NBA Hi-Roller Total -Monday

NBA (707) ORLANDO MAGIC at (708) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Take: over (20* NBA Hi Roller Total)

[Can'tPickaWinner]

Pluslinesports Hockey

Pittsburgh vs. New York
Pick: OVER 5.5 goals (-110)

[Stu Padasso]

NBA -80.6 Units Year to Date

NBA Totals 14-19-1 Year to Date 42%

Totals All Sports ( 5 Years ) 47.9%


4* #710 SAN ANTONIO/CHICAGO Under

We lost a play on the Spurs Under on Friday night in what has been an excellent long-term situation for Gregg Popovich, and even with that failure the numbers in this category are significant – his Spurs have played to a 51-24-2 Under count the last six seasons the game after allowing at least 100 points in regulation. Now it has been back-to-back home games in which the defense has allowed the opposition to reach the century mark, and while the markets are adjusting the Totals higher because of those results, we believe that the focus and intensity level for San Antonio becomes even tighter, especially with two full days to prepare for this game. So we put the long-term pattern back into play again.Popovich knows as well as any coach what it takes to still be playing in June, and that is why the focus has always been to quickly clean up defensive lapses in the past. And his comments this weekend follow along that path - <i>“Persistence. That's your only choice. You keep on pushing. You keep trying to improve. You understand what you have to improve, and you work at it.”</i> The fact that the last two defensive failures also led to SU defeats creates an even greater sense of urgency, and with Saturday and Sunday off, and nothing up tomorrow, this game is treated like a playoff affair.Note that despite the recent problems it is not as though this has been an awful defense – they still check in at #9 in the NBA, which is a solid level, but not up to their expectations. Right above them at #8 just happens to be Chicago, which shows a marked improvement on that end of the court when Tyrus Thomas is in the rotation. With reports this morning that a couple of days of rest will put Joakim Noah back on the court it helps to tighten things up even more, and that gives us the matchups that we need to get in play here.

4* #714 UTAH/PHOENIX Under

Suddenly the Jazz look like a Jerry Sloan team again. In eight home games since Christmas they have allowed an average of 91.1 points per game, and there has been a direct correlation between the return of Andrei Kirilenko to the starting lineup and the regaining of their defensive chemistry. The markets are far behind on appreciating those changes, and that gives us excellent value for this setting.Kirilenko adds a toughness that is needed by the Utah front-court, and that is fully acknowledged by Sloan (<i>"No question [his size] makes a big difference. He's able to block shots and play defense. I probably should have had him [starting] all along, if I'd been smart enough."</i>) and floor leader Deron Williams (<i>"A.K.'s length bothers people defensively. He gives us an added shot-blocker out there to start the game, which helps."</i>). And the fact that the defense is bringing rewards, like in the current 6-1 run, means that they remain focused on those improvements, especially in only their second game in five days, which means ample time to put a game plan together for this opponent. And Sloan already knows that the best way to beat Phoenix is to slow the game down – they played to counts of 206 and 180 in regulation on this court LY.The Suns love to run but are not adept at forcing pace vs. superior opponents, especially without Leandro Barbosa – note that they are 11-5 to the Under when he does not play. And while they are certainly nothing special defensively, the one tool that Alvin Gentry has used is a zone that can be effective here, since Utah’s offense needs penetration in order to make up for the lack of spot-up shooters on the wings. That further helps to reduce the pace tonight, and brings us something much less than the track meet that the oddsmakers are projecting.

4* #716 DENVER/CHARLOTTE Under

The markets have some key adjustments to make here, and we believe they came up far short. To lose either Carmelo Anthony or J. R. Smith is significant to the Nuggets in terms of the pace that they play at. But to lose both requires multiplication, and not addition, in factoring the numbers properly. Now the offensive efficiency and pace both all off in a major way, with heavy minutes having to go to Joey Graham and Anthony Carter, who do not bring anywhere near the same level of offensive talent (and the fact that neither played a single minute in Saturday’s O.T. win over New Orleans shows where they really belong in the rotation). Instead of the second unit bringing energy and pace off of the bench, it becomes a stodgy group that will have to rely more on defense and moving the basketball than racing up and down the court. That is further magnified by tonight’s opponent.Charlotte has now moved all the way up to #1 on our best set of defensive ratings, and the fact that the defense is directly correlating into scoreboard wins makes it easier for the Bobcats to buy into Larry Brown’s tactics. The more you rely on defense, the more you also play deliberately on offense to increase the impact of that defense on the game – Charlotte is 27th in the league in pace. With two of the most explosive Nugget scorers sidelined they will put extra emphasis on making this a half-court affair, turning this into a grinder without much tempo at all, and with a lot of long possessions that end up with low percentage shots