2.22.2012 Wednesday FREE Service Plays (Premiums and Comps)

[ugk]

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[Gman1]

Pick 'n' roll:
Wednesday's best NBA bets

Boston Celtics at Oklahoma City Thunder (N/A)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have won 10 consecutive home games and the Boston Celtics have lost six of seven games to fall below .500. Oklahoma City’s homecourt success is the franchise’s best streak since the team won 12 straight during the 1997-98 season when known as the Seattle SuperSonics. Boston scored just 73 points in Monday’s loss to Dallas. Forward Kevin Garnett is expected back after missing the past two games for personal reasons, but Rajon Rondo still has one game left on his suspension. That leaves Paul Pierce to shoulder the offensive load. He scored 20 point in Boston’s loss to the Mavericks and leads the team averaging 17.3 points per night on the year. He’ll need a lot more than that to keep this one close.
Pick: Thunder



Boston Celtics Trends :
Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring less than 75 points in their previous game.

Boston Celtics Over / Under Trends :
Over is 3-0-1 in Celtics last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 4-0 in Celtics last 4 road games.
Under is 2-0-2 in Celtics last 4 road games
vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 2-0-2 in Celtics last 4 road games
vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 7-1-1 in Celtics last 9 games following
a SU loss of more than 10 points.
Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 Wednesday games.
Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Under is 4-1-1 in Celtics last 6 vs. Western Conference.
Under is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 vs. NBA Northwest.
Under is 4-1-1 in Celtics last 6 games following a ATS loss.

Oklahoma City Thunder Trends :
Thunder are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 vs. Eastern Conference.
Thunder are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS loss.
Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Atlantic.

Oklahoma City Thunder Over / Under Trends :
Under is 4-0 in Thunder last 4 vs. NBA Atlantic.
Under is 11-2 in Thunder last 13 vs. Eastern Conference.
Over is 9-2 in Thunder last 11 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 4-1 in Thunder last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.

Head To Head Competition
Celtics are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Oklahoma City.


Boston Celtics Injuries
Kevin Garnett F Prob Wed - Personal
Jermaine O'Neal C Ques Wed - Wrist
Chris Wilcox F Ques Wed - Groin
Rajon Rondo G Elig Feb 28 - Suspension
Brandon Bass F Out Knee

Oklahoma City Thunder Injuries
Nick Collison F Ques Wed - Quadricep
James Harden G Ques Wed - Ankle
Thabo Sefolosha G Late March - Foot
Lazar Hayward F Out
Eric Maynor G Out



Utah Jazz at Minnesota Timberwolves (-4, 197)
It wasn’t so much that the Timberwolves lost to Denver in overtime Monday night, but the way they lost. Down three points with seconds remaining in the extra session, Martell Webster stole an inbounds pass and broke toward the hoop. But instead of pulling up for a trey that could tie the game, he went in for a dunk. "If I had to do it over again, yeah, I'd probably pull up for a jump shot," Webster said. "But what was going through my mind was go to the rim and possibly get fouled. The contingency to that shot was get a bucket, get a foul, they miss free throws and we get another shot. It didn't work out that way."Minnesota ended up taking a 103-101 loss after Corey Brewer hit a free throw. It was a comedy of errors for those that had the Timberwolves, who covered as 3.5-point underdogs. We like the under here.
Pick: Under



Utah Jazz Over / Under Trends :
Under is 4-0 in Jazz last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 4-0 in Jazz last 4 road games.
Under is 6-1 in Jazz last 7 vs. Western Conference.
Over is 17-4 in Jazz last 21 vs. a team with a losing S.U. record.
Under is 4-1 in Jazz last 5 games as a road underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Jazz last 5 games as an underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Jazz last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.


Minnesota Timberwolves Trends :
Timberwolves are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.

Minnesota Timberwolves Over / Under Trends :
Over is 7-1 in Timberwolves last 8 games following a S.U. loss.
Over is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 games as a favorite of 0.5-4.5.

Head To Head Competition :
Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Minnesota.
Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
Home team is 7-0 ATS in the last 7 meetings.

Timberwolves Injuries :
Malcolm Lee G Ques Wed - Knee
Nikola Pekovic C Ques Wed - Ankle
Darko Milicic C Ques Wed - Stomach

Utah Jazz Injuries :
Raja Bell G Ques Wed - Thigh

[Gman1]

Ice picks:
Wednesday's best NHL bets

Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators (-155, 5.5)
At this point in the year, you have to start questioning how much the Washington Capitals really care. While injuries have played a significant role in their disappointing season, there was no excuse for Monday’s 5-0 loss to the lowly Hurricanes. Alex Ovechkin looked uninterested, the Caps lacked any sort of a forecheck, and turned pucks throughout the evening in all three zones. “Embarrassing effort, right from the start,” Troy Brouwer told reporters after the game. “We weren’t ready to play, gave up chances, gave the puck away, didn’t get the puck in deep. Just all-around embarrassing.One thing the Senators will give you is an honest effort. This is a lot of chalk for us, but we just can’t get behind the Caps right now.
Pick: Senators

Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues (-130, 5)
If you haven’t been keeping close tabs on the Blues, you might be surprised to realize they have just three regulation losses on home ice this year. They struggle offensively, so getting the last change at home to line up specific matchups has been key to their success. "When you have one line going, it's too easy for the other team to shut your offense down," Andy McDonald told reporters. "So we really need contributions from our top six forwards. That's going to be the key for us going forward. "We've got great goaltending, team defense we're really strong. It's just going to be whether or not we can get that depth scoring we need -- our top six and then the third line chipping in here and there for us.”Expect the Blues to look for some more offensive punch as the trade deadline nears, but for Wednesday’s game, they’ll lean on matchups and responsible defensive play against the Bruins. That means goals should be hard to come by.
Pick: Under

[Gman1]

Game of the Day:
Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks

Atlanta Hawks
at New York Knicks (-5, 187)
Jeremy Lin and Carmelo Anthony finally got on the court together on Monday. The results weren’t so great. The New York Knicks have some hope for the future with Lin directing the offense, but they still need some work on the defensive end. Lin was torched by Deron Williams in the loss to New Jersey on Monday. The Atlanta Hawks are having the opposite problem, with the offense consistently unable to keep pace. The stumbling Hawks have dropped seven of 10 this month while putting up 86.2 points.


HAWKS (19-13):
Atlanta could use the All-Star break to get its shooting back together. The Hawks have gone over 90 points twice in the last 10 games and have been held under 80 in dropping each of the last two. Atlanta came back from a 20-point deficit in Chicago on Monday to cut the lead to five but then went the final 3:24 without a point in the 90-79 setback. Joe Johnson was injured late on Monday and will miss the final two games before the break. No one on the team needs a rest more than the All-Star guard, who is shooting 17.2 percent (5 for 29) from 3-point range in the last five games.

KNICKS (16-17):
New York dropped below .500 again with the 100-92 loss to the Nets and have a trip to Miami looming on Thursday. The star has dimmed around “Linsanity” a bit with losses in two of the last three but the early returns with Anthony are good. The All-Star forward returned to the lineup and had no trouble deferring and distributing, finishing with six assists. The Knicks are also attempting to integrate Baron Davis and J.R. Smith into the rotation.

TRENDS:
Knicks are 7-2 against the spread in its last nine home games.
Knicks are 8-3 against the spread in the last 11 meetings between the two teams.
Knicks are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a S.U. loss.
Knicks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Knicks are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Knicks are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.

Knicks Over / Under Trends :
Under is 5-0 in Knicks last 5 games as a home favorite.
Over is 4-0 in Knicks last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Under is 4-0 in Knicks last 4 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.
Under is 10-1 in Knicks last 11 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5.
Under is 6-1 in Knicks last 7 home games.
Under is 4-1 in Knicks last 5 Wednesday games.

Hawks Over / Under Trends :
Under is 4-0 in Hawks last 4 vs. a team with a losing S.U. record.
Under is 8-1 in Hawks last 9 Wednesday games.
Under is 4-1 in Hawks last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Under is 4-1 in Hawks last 5 games following a ATS loss.

Head to Head Competition :
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Knicks Injuries
Bill Walker G Ques Wed - Elbow
Iman Shumpert G Ques Wed - Knee

Hawks Injuries
Marvin Williams F Prob Wed - Personal
Joe Johnson G Doub Wed - Knee
Jason Collins C Out indefinitely - Elbow

BUZZER BEATERS:
The teams split four meetings last season,
with New York taking the final two.

[Gman1]

College funds:
Wednesday's best NCAAB bets

West Virginia Mountaineers
at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-3, 125)
Riding an eight-game win streak all the way to a No. 18 national ranking, Notre Dame takes aim at a season sweep of West Virginia after rallying for a 55-51 victory in Morgantown, W.Va., on Feb. 8. The Fighting Irish had made just two of their 18 3-point shots in the game before hitting three straight during a late 11-0 run to seize control of the contest. Since losing star forward Tim Abromaitis to a season-ending injury in November, the red-hot Fighting Irish have found surprising success by slowing the pace of the game. Their 61.1 possessions per contest in conference action are the second fewest among Big East teams, and they are allowing a league-best 58.7 points against conference opponents.Eric Atkins is putting up 13 points per game and just dropped 17 points and five assists in Notre Dame’s 74-70 overtime win at Villanova.
Pick: Irish

Michigan State Spartans
at Minnesota Golden Gophers (6, 128)
After a stretch in which No. 6 Michigan State dropped three of five games to end January, it has not lost since. The Spartans, who lost those three contests on the road by a combined nine points, have rolled to five straight double-digit victories in February – including three against ranked teams – by getting back to coach Tom Izzo’s usual trademarks, rebounding and defense. During their five-game winning streak, the Spartans are enjoying a plus-11 advantage in rebounding and holding their opponents to 34.3 percent shooting from the field. In Sunday’s road win at Purdue, Michigan State forced the Boilermakers to miss 22 of their first 23 field-goal attempts in the second half after allowing Purdue to shoot 46.7 percent in the first half.While Minnesota is fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage, the Spartans’ hard-nosed defensive approach figures to rattle the turnover-prone Golden Gophers, who commit a conference-worst 14.3 turnovers per game.
Pick: Spartans

[Gman1]

Wednesday’s betting tips

Who’s HOT
NBA: Oklahoma City is 13-3 against the spread in its last 16 games against Eastern Conference teams.
NBA: Orlando is 5-1 against the number in its last six.
NHL: Ottawa has won four of its last five.
NHL: St. Louis is 20-6 in its last 26 games as a favorite.
NCAAB: Syracuse is 10-3 against the spread coming off an ATS loss.
NCAAB: Temple is 9-1 against the spread in its last 10 overall.

Who’s NOT
NBA: Boston is 0-4 against the number in its last four overall and 0-5 ATS in its last five road games.
NBA: New Jersey is 7-19 against the spread in its last 26 home games.
NHL: Washington is 8-20 in its last 28 road games.
NHL: The under is 4-12-1 in Boston’s last 17 road games.
NCAAB: The over is 0-13 in the last 13 meetings between Notre Dame and West Virginia.
NCAAB: Boise State is 4-12 against the spread in its last 16.

Key stat 62
San Diego State is averaging just 62 points per game over its current three-game losing streak, down from its 70.9 average on the year. The Aztecs, who were upset by Air Force last weekend as 4.5-point favorites, hadn’t lost three games in a row since 2008. The team called a players-only meeting Monday to prepare for Wednesday’s meeting with Wyoming. "I felt that really brought us together and really put us in the right mindset for practice today," senior Tim Shelton told reporters. "I really felt we got better today.” Oddsmakers have the Aztecs as 5-point favorites.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked
Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Johnson will sit out the team's game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday due to tendinitis in his left knee. The All-Star guard left Monday's loss to the Chicago Bulls midway through the third quarter and didn't return. Johnson is averaging 17.6 points and 3.8 assists in 32 games for the Hawks this season.

Notable quotable
"He's probably not at his best, and you have to look at it that way. Maybe it's a good chance to play good, and maybe I can beat him. He's won this tournament three times and he has a very good match play record ... but not so good on the Ryder Cup. I think he's beatable." - Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano on facing Tiger Woods in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, which begins Wednesday. Woods responded to these comments in news conference by saying “he’s beatable, too.”

Notes and tips

The Drake Bulldogs are hoping Ben Simons is well enough to play Wednesday when they host Southern Illinois. Simons, who has missed the last five games after being diagnosed with mononucleosis, is averaging 16.1 points per game this season and has topped 20 points six times this year. He’s officially listed as questionable.

St. Louis Blues right wing Jamie Langenbrunner has been placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss four weeks with a broken foot. The veteran forward broke his left foot during Sunday's 3-1 loss in Chicago. The 36-year-old has four goals and 17 assists in 57 games for the Blues this season.

The New Jersey Nets are expected to have center Brook Lopez (foot) back on the court Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. Lopez scored nine points in 21 minutes of work in his season debut over the weekend against Milwaukee and then sat out Monday’s game as a precaution, even though he tried to talk his way into the lineup. The Nets are 5.5-point home underdogs against Orlando.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired right wing Steve Downie from the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of a three-team deal that sent defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Detroit Red Wings. Tampa Bay received Quincey in exchange for Downie and turned around and shipped the blue-liner to the Red Wings in exchance for a first-round draft pick and minor league defenseman Sebastien Piche. Downie had 12 goals and 16 assists in 55 games with the Lightning this season. He had a career-high 22 goals and 46 points in the 2009-10 season. Quincey, in his third season with Colorado, had five goals and 18 assists in 54 games. He was a fourth-round draft pick of Detroit in 2003 and appeared in 13 regular-season games and 13 postseason games in three seasons.

Game of the Day
Los Angeles Lakers
at Dallas Mavericks (-4.5, 180)
For a team that’s sitting just outside the top four in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers certainly seem to have a lot of issues.Their lackluster play on the road is perhaps the biggest.Beating anyone - particularly quality opponents - away from Staples Center has been a challenge for the Lakers, who will have two prime chances to rectify that with a difficult back-to-back that begins Wednesday night against the surging Dallas Mavericks. Los Angeles beat Dallas 73-70 at Staples last month, hardly revenge for the Mavs sweeping them out of the West semifinals but a win that seemed to have the Lakers moving in the right direction.That was their 10th victory in 13 games, but a month later, it’s unclear exactly how together the Lakers are. An unhappy Lamar Odom was shipped to Dallas before the season after a proposed three-way trade to land Chris Paul fell through, and now it appears Los Angeles (19-13) may have to do the same with the other key component of that deal.Kobe Bryant ripped Lakers management after a 102-90 loss at Phoenix on Sunday for allowing Pau Gasol to dangle as additional trade rumors have surfaced. The team seemed to respond a night later against Portland, opening on a 37-7 run en route to a 103-92 victory.That was followed by a brief players-only meeting to clear the air ahead of the back-to-back in Dallas (21-12) and Oklahoma City.“I can tell when (Gasol) is down, and when enough is enough,” Bryant said Monday. “He went through the first phase and kind of played through that and came out of that, and then he gets hit with another one. You can tell he’s down, and it’s a little hard to overcome. We’ve got two big games coming up … and I don’t want him thinking about it.”The win over the Trail Blazers was the Lakers’ 14th in 16 games at home, but they’ve done little to sustain that momentum on the road. After going a conference-best 27-14 away from home last season, they’re 5-11.That includes 1-6 against teams at or above .500 - bad news considering the Mavs and Thunder are a combined 46-19. “I think we just have to go (on the road) and play with confidence and get rest,” center Andrew Bynum said. “We get rest, we’re good.” The Lakers could use a big effort from Bynum, who had 17 points and 15 boards to lead Los Angeles past Dallas last month. That performance could be tougher to repeat at the American Airlines Center, where Bynum will certainly get a rough reception after being ejected from the Game 4 loss last season for clotheslining J.J. Barea.This is the Mavericks’ final game before the All-Star break, and they’re heading in with momentum. Dallas has won seven of eight after beating Boston 89-73 on Monday, as Dirk Nowitzki moved into the top 20 on the all-time scoring list with a game-high 26.The Mavs have held opponents to 85.8 points per game and 38.9 percent shooting while winning four in a row at home.“Our identity this year is that we’re a defensive team,” coach Rick Carlisle told Dallas’ official website. “You look at our stats and you look at our record, you look at when we’ve struggled and when we play well. Our defense and rebounding is defining who we are.”The loss to the Lakers is Dallas’ only one in the 14 games in which it’s held opponents to 90 or fewer points. Jason Terry has averaged 24.0 points - hitting 20 of 33 3-pointers - in the Mavs’ last five home games against Los Angeles. Bryant has averaged 18.2 points in that stretch, missing all 16 attempts from beyond the arc.

Laker Trends
Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

Laker Over / Under Trends
Over is 4-1 in Lakers last 5 overall.
Under is 8-2 in Lakers last 10 games following a SU win of more than 10 points.

Mavericks Trends
Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
Mavericks are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

Mavericks Over / Under Trends
Under is 4-0 in Mavericks last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 6-1 in Mavericks last 7 vs. NBA Pacific.
Under is 5-1 in Mavericks last 6 home games.
Under is 5-1 in Mavericks last 6 games following a SU win of more than 10 points.
Under is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Under is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 games after allowing less than 75 points in their previous game.

Head To Head Competition :
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Dallas.

Lakers No Injuries

Mavericks Injuries
Rodrigue Beaubois G Out indefinitely
Delonte West G Mid March - Finger

[Gman1]

HOT NBA BETTING TRENDS

With the NBA nearing the midway point
of its 66-game condensed schedule this campaign,
let’s take a quick peak at what’s working
and what isn’t in the league this season.

Thru Feb. 14

Inequality Rules
One major result of the crammed schedule
has been an abundance of blowout games.
Last year during the NBA regular season
a total of 63 games were decided by 20 or more points.

This season we’ve witnessed 72 games
decided by 20 or more points
and we’re not even at the half-way point yet.

Five teams last season failed to score 70 points in a contest.
We’ve seen 13 teams fail to hit the 70-point this season.

Favorites of more than six points
are 11-0 SU and 10-1 ATS in games after failing to score 80 points,
while dogs of 12 or more points are 0-6 SU and ATS.


Condensed Schedule
One of the residual effects of the condensed schedule
was forcing each team in the league to play
one set of three games in three days.

Teams in this role have responded with poise thus far,
going 11-9 Su and 12-8 ATS in the final leg of the marathon string.
Home teams in this role are 10-3 SU and ATS,
including 6-0 SU and ATS in same conference clashes
and 4-1 SU and ATS as dogs.


Back to Back & Out of Energy
Teams off back-to-back victories have had a difficult time
rewarding their supporters as evidenced by a
dismal 92-116-1 ATS overall mark this season.

Put them at home against an opponent off a loss
and they dip to 18-41 ATS,
and even worse 6-20 ATS when hosting
a foe off back-to-back losses.


Plenty Of REST
It’s not often teams enjoy the luxury of
three or more days of rest in this shortened season.
Only 12 squads to date have been enjoyed the benefits
of extended time off. These well-rest clubs have gone
8-4 ATS this season, including 6-1 ATS away and 3-0 ATS as underdogs.


Mad & High Emotion
NBA teams taking to the road after having been upset
as a favorite in their previous game
have been moneymakers, going 45-27 ATS this season.
Big Money
Put them up against an opponent off
back-to-back wins and they zoom to 19-5 ATS.


Keep Your Eyes Open
• Charlotte: 0-7 ATS with revenge versus a foe off a loss
• Denver: 7-0 ATS off win versus a foe off a loss
• Los Angeles Clippers: 6-0 ATS off a SU and ATS loss versus a foe off a loss
• Milwaukee: 0-6 ATS as a dog with no rest and with revenge
• Philadelphia: 6-0 ATS off a loss of less than 10 points

[Gman1]

Turner 2/22/12
NBA
Atlanta Hawks +5
Detroit Pistons +4.5
NCAA
Illinois State +6.5
Nebraska/Purdue Under 130
NHL
Los Angeles/Colorado Over 5 +130
Boston Bruins +130 (-110)

[Gman1]

THE GOLD SHEET NBA

TORONTO 93 - Detroit 91
Realize Detroit in extremely positive upswing,
but same can be said for Toronto, which has covered 7 of last 9 (although
Raptors admittedly just 2-9 SU last 11). Still, scheduling indicates a Toronto
win-and-cover, as this is Raptors’ only game in an 11-day window, and they
catch Detroit coming off a date in Cleveland last night. And Toronto should have
a bad taste left over from humiliating loss to league-worst Charlotte at the Air
Canada Centre on Friday night. With 5 days off to mull over that poor defensive
effort, expect Raptor HC Dwane Casey to get a much better showing from his
team. However, Pistons have been winning games SU, while Toronto has been
recording recent covers through the backdoor as a dog. Detroit won both here
SU last season and is 7-4 against the number this year when unrested, so not
in love with laying many with Raptors. 10-Tor +2 120-116 (203), Det +5' 115-93
(207), Det +5' 101-95 (207), DET -4' 107-93 (207)

OKLAHOMA CITY 100 - Boston 85
Slumping Boston has dropped 5 of last
6 SU and is just 3-9 vs. the number last 12 prior to visiting Dallas on Monday.
OKC just 2-3 in last 5 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena prior to facing New
Orleans Monday, but have to be impressed by OT non-cover against Denver, as
Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 91 pts., while
power forward Serge Ibaka recorded an unusual triple-double with 14 pts., 15
boards and 11 blocked shots. Boston might be without PF Kevin Garnett, who
missed time for personal reasons and injuries recently, and PG Rajon Rondo
has been suspended two games for throwing a ball at the ref on Sunday (you
don’t mess with the refs like that and get away with it in this league). Backup
forward Brandon Bass is already out with a knee injury. The Thunder are 23-16
laying more than 6 points at home over the last 1+ seasons. 11-Okc -2' 97-88
(187); 10-Bos +2 92-83 (197), Okc +9 89-84 (197) CABLE TV—ESPN

CLEVELAND 89 - New Orleans 88
New Orleans is playing its 3rd game in
as many nights in this one, and Hornet HC Monty Williams will need to use his
depth to deal with the schedule. With starting C Emeka Okafor & F Carl Landry
out with knee injuries, and PG Jarrett Jack limited (also with a knee injury), C
Chris Kaman (17 ppg, 10.4 rpg in February), F Trevor Ariza (16 ppg last 7
games) and PG Greivis Vasquez (13 ppg, 8.2 assists as a starter) have stepped
up. Cleveland played last night as well, and the Cavs are just 4-11 as Quicken
Loans Arena chalk in the post-LeBron era. Cleveland ranks behind New
Orleans in defensive efficiency (Hornets held last 5 foes to just 88 ppg), and
Cavs haven’t covered last 4 facing “C” teams. 10-NO -9 108-101 (193), No -5
96-81 (194)

Indiana 98 - CHARLOTTE 84
Last Sunday, Indiana caught Charlotte
coming off a satisfying SU win at Toronto (a win that snapped the Bobcats’ 16-
game losing streak) and Pacers won in a 108-73 romp. But Charlotte has been
more competitive of late, a result of the return to action first of F Corey Maggette
and then PG D.J. Augustin. There’s a chance Charlotte’s leading scorer, G
Gerald Henderson (15 ppg), will be ready to return for this game, which would
be a relief to HC Paul Silas, who’s been forced to use 13 different starting
lineups this year. Still, the Pacers have beaten Charlotte by an average of 23
ppg in covering last 3, including both meetings this season. Indiana has
covered 3 of last 4 trips to Time Warner Cable Arena, and Bobcats, who’re 2-7
vs. the number last 9 at home, don’t have a lot of offensive punch even with
Henderson healthy. Realize this is Charlotte’s only game until after the All-Star
break, but don’t like Bobcats’ home dog mark. "Totals" note: Indiana “under”
last 4 prior to hosting New Orleans last night and Charlotte “under” 11-5-1 last
17. 11-IND -10 99-77 (190), IND -10’108-73 (190); 10-Ind +4' 104-101 (196),
IND -6' 100-92 (193), IND -4' 104-103 (195), Ind +1' 111-88 (192)

WASHINGTON 97 - Sacramento 91
Washington has dropped last 5
against the number at home, although, to be fair, the Wizards faced only one
bad team in that streak. Sacto is coming off a game in Miami last night, and
Kings are just 7-13 against the points in 2nd night of back-to-back games over
the last 1+ seasons. Sacto’s resurgence under HC Keith Smart has cooled, as
the Kings have dropped 5 in a row SU through Monday after winning 4 of the
previous 5 behind strong play of C DeMarcus Cousins. Wizard backcourt of
John Wall & Nick Young have combined for 39 ppg over the last 10 games, and
those two should be able to trade baskets (or better) vs. prolific King backcourt
of Marcus Thornton & Tyreke Evans. Washington C JaVale McGee (9 rpg, 2nd
in the league at 2.7 blocks this season) should give Cousins some problems
(recent King spread losses have come against teams with strong pivot
play...Detroit’s Monroe, NY’s Chandler & Suns’ Gortat). 10-SAC -4' 116-91

DALLAS 93 - LA Lakers 81
First chance for Dallas to host Lakers at
AmericanAirlines Center since ending Phil Jackson’s career with a resounding
36-point romp in final game of Western semi sweep last spring. Dynamics have
changed somewhat since (Lamar Odom, for example, now wears a Mavs
uniform), but not sure they have improved any for Lake Show, which continues
to perform in a back-and-forth manner for first-year HC Mike “Al Roker” Brown,
whose new offense remains a tough fit for all save Kobe. And storm clouds
could be forming above LA, as Kobe (not one to sit by quietly when things begin
to unravel) has called out management for letting Pau Gasol flap in the wind
regarding his future with the team. As long as Dirk Nowitzki’s knee is okay,
expect Rick “Jim Carrey” Carlisle’s Dallas squad to avenge ugly 73-70 loss at
Staples Center on Jan. 16 when big Dirk (who scored 21) was the only Mav to
score more than 10 points. Note Lakers only 4-12 vs. line as visitor after
Sunday’s loss at Phoenix. 11-LA -3' 73-70 (182); 10-DAL +3 109-100 (188), La
-1 96-91 (194), LA -6' 110-82 (191), Dal +6 96-94 (189), Dal +7 93-81 (187), DAL
-2 98-92 (187), DAL -2 122-86 (188) CABLE TV—ESPN

LA CLIPPERS 100 - Denver 98
These two split a pair of interesting
decisions within a 4-day span Jan. 29-Feb. 2, with the road dog winning on both
occasions. That included Denver’s lopsided 112-91 thumping of Clips at
Staples Center in the return match after losing a bitter 4-point verdict at Pepsi
Center. Nuggets hit 12 of 21 from beyond arc in that big win at Staples, although
the main cog that night, F Danilo Gallinari (who was 5 for 5 from tripleville!), is
currently sidelined. And now Nene’s status is up in the air after re-aggravating
a calf strain, George Karl, however, has welcomed back versatile F Timofey
Mozgov to the lineup from an ankle injury, and spirited effort on Sunday at Ok
City suggests Nuggets still to be reckoned with despite their 3-10 SU mark last
13 prior to facing T-wolves on Monday night. 11-La +6 109-105 (206), Den +1
112-91 (207); 10-DEN -10' 111-104 (206), DEN -9 109-104 (213), LA +3 106-93

Orlando 97 - NEW JERSEY 88
New Jersey displayed a brief spark in last
Saturday’s win over the Derrick Rose-less Bulls, but losing 24 hours later to
Bucks sunk Nets to 1-9 SU mark their last ten prior to Monday’s showdown vs.
nearby rival Knicks. Avery Johnson’s lineup still depleted with various injuries,
though Nets have welcomed back C Brook Lopez to active duty after he was
sidelined since beginning of season with foot problems. A healthy Lopez could
come in handy vs. Dwight Howard, but hard-pressed to find other reasons to
support N.J. (also just 2-7 vs. line last 9 thru Feb. 19) against Magic squad that
had won and covered four in a row before running into revenge-minded Miami
on Sunday. Orlando has also now won 14 of last 16 vs. Nets after 94-78 win at
Amway Center back on Dec. 29, and Howard might be ready to put on a show
in front of the fans who dream of him playing in front of them next season (expect
lots of “We want Dwight!” from Pru Center audience). 11-ORL -11' 94-78 (182);
10-ORL -16' 105-90 (195), Orl -7' 91-90 (190), Orl -6 104-88 (191), ORL -13 95-

MINNESOTA 103 - Utah 92
Chance for payback for Rick Adelman’s
Minnesota bunch that lost by 10 at Salt Lake City back on Jan. 21. We’ll bet,
however, that Kevin Love is a lot more effective in rematch after enduring one
of his worst nights of the season (just 5 of 21 from floor) in that earlier 108-98
defeat. Opportunity for T-wolves’ revenge is exacerbated by the fact that Utah
plays so poorly on the road (only 3-10 SU and 4-9 vs. line), and Jazz could be
compromised if Raja Bell’s recent re-aggravation of the right abductor strain
that kept him sidelined in recent weeks is as serious as it appeared last Sunday
at Houston. 11-UTAH -7 108-98 (191); 10-Utah -6 112-107 (208), UTAH -7 108-
100 (214), MIN -2 122-101 (207), UTAH -6 119-104 (209)

PHOENIX 104 - Golden St. 95
Quick revenge opportunity for Phoenix after
losing by 6 last Monday at Oakland. That merely held serve at home for
Warriors in series in which the home edge has been palpable, especially for
Suns, who won and covered handily vs. Golden State at US Airways Center
back on Jan. 2 and also won and covered both home meetings by double-digit
margins vs. Warriors last season. Sources say everything on the line for Alvin
Gentry’s team in the next couple of weeks with an extended home stretch on the
schedule in which 12 of 14 games will be played in Phoenix; if Suns don’t make
a move in standings soon, roster (and Gentry’s status) will be subject to
disassembling at the trade deadline. Early returns, however, were positive after
Sunday’s easy home win over the Lakers, and we’ll shade the home-oriented
series trends. 11-PHO -4' 102-91 (193), GS -3 102-96 (204); 10-Pho +2' 107-
101 (228), Pho +5 104-92 (220), PHO -6 112-88 (218), PHO -5' 108-97 (217)

[Gman1]

THE GOLD SHEET

★★★KEY RELEASES★★★

★★★NEW YORK 104 - Atlanta 89—It will be interesting to see how the new
mix created by insertion of PG Jeremy Lin will blend with the reintroduction of
star Knick F Carmelo Anthony (scheduled to return Monday vs. the Nets). Word
is that Anthony, who will likely be eased into action after groin injury, was a big
proponent of using Lin as an option, as he reportedly urged Mike D’Antoni to
give the youngster a chance after seeing him in practice. Knicks executed a
coup when they signed J.R. Smith, as he proved an instant contributor with 15
points against Dallas. Conversely, Atlanta, which didn’t have F Marvin Williams
in Monday’s loss to Chicago, had yesterday off, but that hasn’t been a plus for
the Hawks, who are just 8-15 vs. the points this season when rested (vs. 7-1 in
2nd of back-to-backs). Atlanta is just 1-6 against the number this season
getting from 1 to 9 points, which is the likely price range in this one. Anthony &
Smith likely to make a good team better, especially if Lin really was ‘Melo’s idea.
10-Atl +1' 99-90 (210), ATL -7 111-102 (206), NY -2' 102-90 (205), Ny +4 92-79
(203)

★★★Hofstra 69 - WILLIAM & MARY 59—Lots of losses between these
two disappointed sides. But CAA sources have noted how Hofstra was at least
within earshot in most of its defeats, and the Pride continuing to compete hard
for HC Mo Cassara, evidenced by their BracketBuster romp past Siena.
Hofstra’s potent Mike-Moore-Nathaniel Lester backcourt pair (combining for 34
ppg) gives the Pride an edge over W&M outfit that has a SU win vs. only
Northeastern since early January and prompted a frustrated HC Tony Shaver
into various lineup switches (second-leading scorer G Marcus Thornton now
operating in 6th-man role). 10-Hof -3' 67-64, HOF -9' 81-78 (OT), Hof -5 72-56
(CT-neut.)

★★★Delaware 71 - TOWSON 51—Flying way under the radar and missing
out on much attention outside of the immediate area extending to the Christiana
Mall, U-Dee has nonetheless turned into quite a nice story for HC Monte Ross,
who has rebuilt the Fightin’ Blue Hens (six straight wins; 8-2 SU and vs. line last
ten) into a postseason-caliber (well, at least CBI or CIT) squad. Star G Devon
Saddler (18.6 ppg) now getting consistent backcourt scoring help from frosh G
Jarvis Threatt (18 ppg last three!). It’s also a short trip for U-Dee over the mighty
Susquehanna and south on I-95 to the Baltimore suburbs, and we never need
too much of a reason to look against lowly Towson (worst scoring differential in
the country at -19.4 ppg). 11-DEL -13' 62-43; 10-Del P 66-63, DEL -8 80-70

★★★Ucf 77 - RICE 66.Unquestionably, �gbubbly�h UCF (RPI in the mid 50s)
needs an eye-catching finish to stay above the cut line of the NCAA Selection
Committee. Believe the Knights can keep those dreams alive, as well as remain
among the top four in the C-USA (earning a first-round bye in the conference
tourney) vs. �gbackwards�h Rice, which is 4-5 vs. the spread as a visitor and only
2-5 vs. the spread at home. UCF�fs athletic 6-5 soph F Isaiah Sykes (two doubledoubles
and flirted with three more) has been on a tear lately, while 6-5 sr. G
Marcus Jordan is making his iconic dad, Michael, proud by busting out of a
shooting slump last the few games. UCF is out for some retribution after it was
in the midst of a prolonged losing streak in its 57-50 home upset loss vs. the
Owls LY, when it failed to score a FG in the second half until 9:50 was left in the
game. 10-Rice +11 57-50

[Gman1]

THE GOLD SHEET TOP 25 NCAA

SYRACUSE 75 - South Florida 54—Sure, USF has made huge strides this
season in the Big East after serving as a piñata for years. And the Bulls
suddenly making the NCAA Selection Committee take some notice with their
10-4 Big East mark (getting above .500 in that rugged loop has long been
considered a ticket to the Big Dance). But still inclined to lay DD spread with
high-octane (78 ppg), No. 1-NCAA seed-seeking Syracuse, which is 6-3 its last
9 when laying more than 10 points. The pedestrian Bulls (61 ppg—301st in the
nation) lack the needed prowess from the 3-point line to “stretch” coach
Boeheim’s smothering 2-3 matchup zone, yielding a paltry 59 ppg in the
cacophonous Carrier Dome. While defense has been the calling card for Stan
Heath’s USF team, the Orange own waaay too many big-time weapons for the
Bulls, who have lost by DDs at Notre Dame, Marquette and Georgetown

Kansas 70 - TEXAS A&M 55—KU could be excused for peeking ahead to
Saturday’s showdown vs. Mizzou. And A&M was able to slow the pace enough
vs. KU to have a look at the first game Jan. 23 at Lawrence. But if PG Dash
Harris remains out with for the Aggies due to foot problems, A&M (which lost
contact in recent losses vs. Iowa State & Mizzou) will be harder-pressed to
control tempo and to slow the Jayhawk transition game in the rematch.

Michigan State 72 - MINNESOTA 62—The early-season loss of formidable
6-8 F Trevor Mbawke has caught up with fading Minnesota, which has
developed the bad habit of digging itself into early holes (hey, they are
Gophers!). Contrastingly, Big Ten contender Michigan State is playing
hellacious defense (53 ppg last 9 games) and gaining momentum for a possible
No. 1 seed in the Big Dance. Who said this is a rebuilding year for the Spartans?
UM clearly has nooooo answer for the Spartans’ Big Ten player of year
candidate 6-7 sr. F Draymond Green (22 pts., 14 rebs., 6 assists in the first
meeting). Envision versatile G Keith Appling (ace defender) being a bigger
factor on the attack after a season-worst 1 of 7 FGs in the first meeting. The
Gophers’ embroiled HC Tubby Smith, who criticized his squad for selfish play in
the Ohio State defeat on Valentine’s Day, suffers his fifth home setback in Big
Ten play.

MARQUETTE 77 - Rutgers 58—Buzz Williams’ coaching job at Marquette
is drawing raves from Big East observers who were convinced that the Golden
Eagles would struggle in league play after injuries to bigs Chris Otule and
Davante Gardner made Buzz adjust to “small ball” style. But Marquette’s
transition game has been wearing out the opposition. Rutgers’ offensive
limitations suggest the Scarlet Knights will be hard-pressed to stay within
earshot of uptempo Golden Eagle side that’s covered 10 of its last13 since Jan.
4.

NOTRE DAME 69 - West Virginia 62—Sure, WVU is in payback mode
following an unflattering 55-49 upset loss to the Irish in Morgantown Feb. 8. But,
at a short price, not interested in bucking hot Notre Dame, which is 8-0 SU (7-
1 vs. the spread) since coach-of-the-year candidate Mike Brey inserted 6-5
frosh swingman Patrick Connaughton into the starting lineup. The Mounties (2-
5 last 7 games), who aren’t yet clear of NCAA bubble trouble after a series of
narrow losses, are unlikely to improve their status vs. undaunted, NCAAseeking
ND, which overcame a 20-point deficit last Saturday at Villanova and is
27-1 SU its last 28 at pulsating Phil Purcell Pavilion the L1+Ys. Mountaineers’
usually-steady sr. G Truck Byrant can’t escape “Brick City” lately making just 13
of 52 FGs his last 4 games.

Wichita St. 71 - ILLINOIS ST. 61—ISU has won and covered five straight
vs. Valley foes at Redbird Arena. But there is a fairly wide gap between
Creighton (which won and covered at Normal in early January), tonight’s guest
Wichita, and the rest of the MVC. The red-hot Shockers (14-1 SU last 15, 9-3
vs. spread last 12) should be properly alerted after close call vs. ISU at the
Roundhouse back on Jan. 10. Wichita’s spacing on attack end makes the
Shockers almost impossible to defend when G Joe Ragland bombs away from
the perimeter, as he did when burning Davidson for 20 in Saturday’s
BracketBuster. Could Wichita be in line for a protected seed (1 thru 4 regionally)
in the upcoming NCAA Tourney?

UNLV 74 - Boise St. 67—No place like home for UNLV, which will be glad
to be off of the Mountain West trail, where it has lost three straight and failed to
cover all six chances vs. the spread this season. For most of the season, it’s
been a different story at the Thomas & Mack Center, where the Dr. Jekyll side
of Rebs has been on display, being unbeaten in their first four MWC games and
5-1 vs. line last six this season. The triples have fallen a lot better for the Rebels
at home (where they’re hitting 45% beyond the arc), but recent form suggests
UNLV might have trouble extending the margin on scrappy Boise side that
pushed Rebs into OT at Taco Bell Arena Jan. 25 and enters Vegas on modest
3-game win streak for HC Leon Rice.

Temple 78 - LA SALLE 72—These two Big Five rivals have been heading
in opposite directions, so unafraid of laying small number with hot Temple,
gunning for its 10th-consecutive victory (9-1 vs. the spread). Finely-tuned Owl G
triumverate of Ramone Moore (probable A-10 player of the year), Khalif Wyatt,
and Juan Fernandez has been playing as well as any backcourt in the nation,
while La Salle’s bread-and-butter 4-G attack has often been in retreat following
erratic-shooting (combined 10 of 30 from the field) and a careless (20 TOs) a 59-
51 home setback vs. Saint Louis on Feb. 11. With Temple’s 6-11 C Michael Eric
back in the lineup (he missed the earlier 76-71 home series win vs. the
Explorers), odds are that the hooting Owls register their seventh consecutive
win vs. old Big Five rival.

SAN DIEGO ST. 52 - Wyoming 47—SDSU sliding quickly down the Big
Dance seeding scale. While the Aztecs aren’t likely to play themselves out of
an at-large bid, their current form (no SU wins last 3; 1-5 vs. line last 6) doesn’t
suggest they’ll have as easy a time with Wyo as they did in Laramie last month
in ugly an 52-42 win (preceded by hellish wintry-weather travel from San Diego).
True, the Cowboys have betrayed themselves with poor offense in their current
3-game losing streak, but they continue to play voracious defense for new (old)
HC Larry Shyatt. Doubt they shoot as poorly as they did when hitting only 30%
from the floor in earlier defeat vs. Steve Fisher’s team.

[rustyw]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Senators won four of their last five games.
-- St Louis won its last five home games, allowing three goals.


Cold teams
-- Washington lost five of its last six games.
-- Bruins lost four of their last five road games.
-- Colorado lost eight of its last 11 games. Kings lost five of their last six.


Totals
-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Washington road games.
-- Over is 8-3-1 in Boston's last dozen road games.
-- Under is 9-2-1 in Kings' last twelve games.

Series records
-- Senators lost six of last seven games against Washington.
-- Road team won last four Boston-St Louis games.
-- Avalanche won their last three games against Los Angeles.

Back-to-Back
-- Los Angeles is 2-6 on the road if it played the night before.

[rustyw]

NBA

Hot Teams
-- Pistons covered their last four road games.
-- Thunder won their last 10 home games (6-4 vs spread).
-- Cavaliers won three of last four games, winning last two games by a point each. New Orleans covered its last five games (3-2 SU).
-- Pacers won last three games, by 5-35-9 points.
-- Knicks won eight of their last ten games.
-- Magic won five of their last six games.
-- Houston won/covered four of its last five home games.
-- Bulls won eight of last ten games (1-4-1 in last six as home fave).
-- Warriors covered six of last nine as a road underdog. Suns won last two games, by 12-16 points, but they're 3-6 vs spread as home favorite.
-- Lakers won four of last five games, but covered once in last six games on the road. Dallas won seven of its last eight games, last four at home.
-- Clippers won 11 of their last 14 home games.

Cold Teams
-- Toronto lost its last four games; they're 3-3 as home favorites.
-- Celtics lost six of their last seven games.
-- Bobcats lost last six home games (1-5 vs spread).
-- Washington lost four of last five home games (0-5 vs spread). Kings lost last six games, but covered seven of last nine on road.
-- Hawks lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Nets lost last six home games (0-5 vs spread in last five).
-- 76ers lost last four games, scoring 82.3 ppg.
-- Bucks lost five of their last six games.
-- Jazz lost seven of its last nine games. Minnesota covered once in last six games as a home favorite.
-- Nuggets lost eight of last 11 games (7-4-1 as road underdog).

Wear and Tear
-- Pistons: 6th game/9 nites. Raptors: Had last four days off.
-- Celtics: 3rd game/4 nites. Thunder: 6th game/9 nites.
-- Hornets: 3rd nite in row. Cavaliers: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Pacers: 6th game/9 nites. Bobcats: Had last two nites off.
-- Kings: 6th game/9 nites. Wizards: 2nd game/5 nites.
-- Hawks: 3rd game/5 nites. Knicks: 6th game/9 nites.
-- Magic: 3rd game/4 nites. Nets: 6th game/8 nites.
-- 76ers: 3rd game/4 nites. Rockets: 6th game/9 nites.
-- Bucks: 3rd game/4 nites. Bulls: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Jazz: 7th game/11 nites. Wolves: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Warriors: 7th game/11 nites. Suns: 7th game/10 nites.
-- Lakers: 3rd game/4 nites. Mavericks: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Nuggets: 6th game/9 nites. Clippers: 3rd game/5 nites.

Totals
-- Last six Detroit road games went over the total.
-- Last four Boston road games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Indiana games stayed under total.
-- Under is 13-5 in Sacramento's last 18 road games.
-- Six of last seven Atlanta road games stayed under.
-- Five of last six Orlando road games stayed under.
-- 11 of last 14 Houston games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Milwaukee games stayed under the total.
-- Five of Utah's last six road games stayed under total.
-- Over is 8-1-1 in Golden State's last ten road games.
-- Four of last five Laker games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Denver road games went over the total

[Gman1]

CRUSHER PLAYS + RECORDS

Hockey Crusher
Los Angeles Kings + Colorado Avalanche UNDER 5
(System Record: 65-3, won last game)
Overall Record: 65-58-6

Basketball Crusher
Temple -1 over La Salle
(System Record: 53-2, won last 7 games)
Overall Record 53-46-3

Soccer Crusher
Hull City + Brighton & Hove Albion OVER 2
This match is happening in England
(System Record: 193-7, lost last game)
Overall Record: 193-164-12

[Gman1]

Sportsbook Investing for 2/22
Temple -1 over La Salle