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Stephen Nover ALL Sports Picks

Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
02-22-19	Nuggets -3.5 v. Mavs		114-104	Win	100	16 h 5 m	Show
Denver is just about at full strength now with the return of underrated shooting guard Gary Harris. The Nuggets hold a solid frontline edge, too, on the Mavericks, who no longer have DeAndre Jordan to protect the rim against emerging superstar Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap. The Mavericks got much worst at the trade deadline. In an effort to set themselves up for the future, the Mavericks dealt four of their five best players. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is left with star rookie point guard Luka Doncic and a motley collection of role players whose spots in the rotation haven't been fully determined. The Nuggets own the second-best record in the Western Conference. They are clearly the superior team and shouldn't lack for motivation coming off break and with three Western Conference playoff teams looming as their next three opponents. This is a game the Nuggets can't afford to get tripped up on.
02-22-19	Clippers -116 v. Grizzlies		112-106	Win	100	16 h 50 m	Show
The Clippers would be in the playoffs if the season ended now. They are better than the Grizzlies and can't afford to take a loss here. The Clippers have a strong track record in this instance going 15-5-1 ATS in their past 21 road games versus an opponent with a losing home mark and being 17-5-1 ATS the past 23 times when playing on three or more days rest. Memphis, by comparison, is 1-5 ATS the last six times when in action after three or more days rest and has failed to cover 17 of the last 25 times when taking on an opponent with a winning record. The Grizzlies are in clear rebuild mode after dealing team cornerstone Marc Gasol at the trade deadline.
02-22-19	Wild v. Red Wings OVER 5.5		3-2	Loss	-112	4 h 3 m	Show
Zach Parise is back scoring for the Wild, whose offense is better after acquiring Ryan Donato. However, Minnesota's frontline defense is down without injured Mikko Koivu, who was the Wild's top penalty killer. Minnesota has surrendered at least four goals in seven of its last 10 games. The Red Wings have scored three or more goals in four of their last five games. They've also given up 14 goals in their past three games. These two teams have a history of going Over when playing in Detroit. There have been only two Unders the past 17 times they've met in Detroit.
02-22-19	Pelicans v. Pacers UNDER 222.5		111-126	Loss	-110	3 h 53 m	Show
The Pacers are the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA yielding just 102.9 points a game. The Pelicans are not good defensively, but both teams figure to be rusty coming off break. In Thursday's action, five of the six games went Under the total, all by quite a bit. The Pacers are averaging only 100.3 points in their last three games. The Pelicans have cut back the minutes of star big man Anthony Davis, which hurts their offense.
02-22-19	Harvard -1.5 v. Brown	Top	79-88	Loss	-113	18 h 38 m	Show
Yale and Harvard are the class of the Ivy League. Harvard buried Brown, 68-47, as six-point home chalk on Feb. 2. So laying this short price on the road is more than fair. The Crimson have covered 71 percent of their last 33 Ivy League games. Brown has only covered 17 percent of its past 13 Ivy League contests. Harvard also covered 68 percent of its last 22 away matchups and is 5-1 ATS in its last six meetings versus Brown. Only once in their last eight games have the Crimson lost. That was against Cornell three games ago and came the day after the Crimson went three overtimes in a victory against Columbia.
02-21-19	Rockets -2.5 v. Lakers	Top	106-111	Loss	-109	20 h 11 m	Show
James Harden, Chris Paul and returning Clint Capela trump LeBron James. That's the bottom line here. The Rockets are back to full health. Paul is in shape and playing well again. Capela is expected to play after missing the last 15 games with a thumb injury. Harden is the MVP of the league scoring 30 or more points in 31 consecutive games. Houston is 21-10 in those games. While the Rockets are among the five best teams in the NBA, the Lakers may not even make the playoffs. They are 3-8 in their last 11 games. James has been back for five games since missing 17 games due to a groin injury. But Lonzo Ball remains out with an ankle injury. The Lakers learned one thing during James' absence - Luke Walton can't coach. Houston is 3-0 versus the Lakers this season after going 4-0 against LA last season. The Rockets also have covered in eight of their past 10 road games versus the Lakers.
02-21-19	Kings v. Predators OVER 5.5		1-2	Loss	-100	8 h 50 m	Show
The Kings are surrendering 4.4 goals in their last five games. Their offense, though, has picked up. LA has scored three or more goals in seven of its last 10 games. The Kings have scored a minimum of two goals per game during their last 10 games. The Over has cashed in six of the Kings' past seven away matchups and in nine of their last 11 overall games.
02-21-19	Flyers +136 v. Canadiens		1-5	Loss	-100	7 h 27 m	Show
I see excellent value in backing the Flyers, who are 12-3 in their last 15 games with one of those defeats occurring to Tampa Bay. The Flyers have won each of their last five road contests. Rookie goalie Carter Hart has been brilliant for Philadelphia. The Flyers have won in 10 of his last 11 starts. This includes a 5-2 victory against the Canadiens in Montreal on Jan. 19. It was the fifth straight time the Flyers have defeated the Canadiens. Montreal isn't nearly as good in form as the Flyers are right now. The Canadiens are 1-4 in their last five games. They are averaging just two goals per game during their last five games.
02-21-19	Blazers -2.5 v. Nets		113-99	Win	100	3 h 20 m	Show
Now that word has come out that Damian Lillard will play, I'm going to get behind the Trail Blazers. Portland is the better team, plays in the better conference and upgraded its frontcourt recently picking up Enes Kanter, who is quite eager to display his talents having endured a difficult time in New York with the Knicks. Portland is 9-1 ATS following a layoff of three or more days.
02-21-19	Senators v. Devils OVER 6.5		0-4	Loss	-124	7 h 51 m	Show
The Devils have scored three or more goals in five of their last six games. They are a horrible defensive team, though, ranking 29th in goals allowed. If you discount a 4-1 win against the Sabres, they are giving up an average of 5.2 goals during their last four games. Ottawa is similar to New Jersey being much better offensively. The Senators rank 11th in scoring but give up the most goals per game. They have allowed 4.5 goals in their last four games.
02-21-19	UCF +8 v. Cincinnati		55-60	Win	100	6 h 9 m	Show
Central Florida is playing well with three straight victories. Cincinnati is tough at home, but I don't see the Knights being outclassed at all in this matchup. They are getting balanced scoring and play with a great deal of intensity. Both teams are strong defensively ranking among the top 40. So taking this many points is huge. The Bearcats have failed to cover seven of the past 10 times when going against an above .500 opponent.
02-20-19	Blackhawks +102 v. Red Wings		5-4	Win	102	18 h 42 m	Show
The Blackhawks are digging hard for a playoff spot winning nine of their last 11 games. The Red Wings are 2-5 in their last seven games. They are going to be sellers at the trade deadline. Chicago has been red-hot offensively averaging 4.9 goals in its last 11 games. The Blackhawks are a perfect 7-0 the past seven times taking on a sub .500 foe.
02-20-19	Blackhawks v. Red Wings OVER 6.5		5-4	Win	100	18 h 41 m	Show
One of these days the oddsmaker is going to wake up and starting hanging a 7 on Blackhawks totals. Until that happens, I'm happy to keep riding the Blackhawks Over the total. Chicago has gone Over in 16 of its last 17 games, including the last nine in a row! The Blackhawks have scored three or more goals in 16 of their last 17 games and had at least four goals in seven of their past nine games. Patrick Kane has been sizzling scoring at least one point in 18 consecutive games. Detroit has scored three or more goals in three of its last four games.
02-20-19	Villanova -5.5 v. Georgetown	Top	73-85	Loss	-108	18 h 21 m	Show
I want Villanova off a rare loss. I also want to fade Georgtown now that they realistically are not going to get a bid to the NCAA Tournament unless it does extremely well in the Big East Conference Tournament. The Hoyas are 1-3 in their last four games and off a 90-75 loss to Seton Hall. Georgetown is 5-11-1 ATS in its last 17 Big East Conference games. The Hoyas also are 4-12-1 ATS during their past 17 home games versus opponents with a winning road mark. Star guard Phil Booth had a sub-par game against St. John's this past Sunday in a 71-65 road loss. The Wildcats blew an 11-point second half lead against the Red Storm. Jay Wright isn't taking that defeat lightly. Booth should help the Wildcats exploit St. John's youthful backdourt. Booth, the Hoyas' leading scorer at 18.3 points, didn't have a strong game in the first meeting between the two teams on Feb. 3. Yet the Wildcats still won, 77-65, covering as 11 1/2-point home favorites. Villanova has proven itself on the road covering 69 percent of its last 51 away matchups. The Wildcats also have covered the past four times versus Georgetown.
02-19-19	Alabama -123 v. Texas A&M	Top	56-65	Loss	-123	8 h 14 m	Show
Alabama is on a two-game losing skid. The Crimson Tide are coming off a terrible 18-point home loss to Florida. I expect them to be ready here. They have not lost three games all season and are 14-3 ATS following a double-digit home defeat. Alabama could damage its NCAA Tournament chances with a loss here. The Crimson Tide are the better team - ranked 56th in the latest Ken Pom ratings compared to Texas A&M being rated 98th - and have revenge. The Aggies nipped them, 81-80, on a buzzer beater. The Tide were 7 1/2-point home favorites in that matchup, which occurred on Jan. 12. Alabama led for all but four minutes in that game. Texas A&M is 3-9 in the SEC. The Aggies' other two conference victories were against Georgia and Missouri, who have a combined 4-20 SEC record. Texas A&M is just 4-10 ATS at home this season.
02-19-19	Lightning v. Flyers OVER 6.5		5-2	Win	100	7 h 55 m	Show
Tampa Bay is the No. 1 scoring team in the NHL and the Lightning are hot offensively scoring five or more goals in five of their last six games. The Flyers rate 26th defensively. The Lightning played last night, beating the Blue Jackets, 5-1. The Over has won 17 of the last 22 times Tampa Bay has played without rest. The Flyers have averaged five goals per game during their last four games if you discount a 4-1 loss to the Penguins during this span. The Over has cashed five of the last six times the two teams have played in Philadelphia. The Flyers are likely to draw Tampa Bay backup goalie Louis Dominque, too. This is the third meeting between the teams this season. There have been a combined 11 goals scored in each of the first two games.
02-19-19	Vanderbilt +18 v. Tennessee		46-58	Win	100	8 h 3 m	Show
Vandy is on a 13-game losing streak. But the Commodores have hung close in eight of those losses, either leading or trailing by no more than five points in the final four minutes. They nearly upset then top-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 23 losing in overtime. Tennessee just lost it's No. 1 ranking by losing to Kentucky this past Saturday. The Volunteers have to be down about that defeat. The Commodores take this matchup far more serious than the Volunteers.
02-18-19	Golden Knights v. Avalanche OVER 6		0-3	Loss	-104	20 h 9 m	Show
It's not too much to expect each of these teams to reach at least three goals in this game. Las Vegas has scored a minimum of three goals in five of its last six games. Colorado has given up three or more goals in 13 of its past 16 games. The Avalanche are a top-10 scoring team. Colorado was shut out by St. Louis in its last game this past Saturday. But the Avalanche did manage 32 shots on goal. The Blues have been playing outstanding defense and getting phenomenal goaltending having allowed only 10 goals in their last 14 games, none in their last three games. Las Vegas is a major stepdown defensively from the Blues. The Golden Knights have surrendered at least three goals in 11 of their past 14 games. Marc-Andre Fleury's heavy workload apparently has caught up to him. He hasn't looked good in allowing 17 goals in his last four starts.
02-18-19	Illinois +11 v. Wisconsin	Top	58-64	Win	100	18 h 5 m	Show
Missing 17 of 21 shots from beyond the arc, Illinois lost 72-60 to Wisconsin on Jan. 23. Since then the Illini have gone 5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS as their talented but inexperienced freshmen have matured and become more consistent. The Illini are beating good teams during this stretch, too, knocking off Michigan State, Maryland and Ohio State on the road. While Illinois is coming on, Wisconsin is slipping. The Badgers have lost consecutive games to Michigan and Michigan State. No shame in that, but the Badgers are showing signs of fatigue. They are not a deep team either. Wisconsin wins with great defense. Illinois ranks No. 13, though, in forcing turnovers. The Illini average four more points per game than Wisconsin and can keep this one close.
02-18-19	Coyotes v. Flames OVER 6		2-5	Win	100	2 h 19 m	Show
Calgary has gone Over in 13 of its last 16 games. The Flames are the third-highest scoring team in the NHL, but have allowed three or more goals in each of their last seven games. So Arizona should get its share of goals here. The Flames are averaging 6.5 goals in two games versus the Coyotes this season. The Over has cashed in four of the last five meetings between the two teams.
02-17-19	Team LeBron v. Team Giannis UNDER 312	Top	178-164	Loss	-105	32 h 10 m	Show
The NBA switched their All-Star Game format last season with two superstars picking the teams. Team LeBron James beat Team Stephen Curry, 148-145, last season. This new format has made for more of a competitive game where there is a sliver of defense, especially compared to previous games, as the players seem to care more. The combined total of last year's game was 293. So I see this year's contest also coming under the posted total. There's a chance LeBron's team could be without Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Those are two of the top offensive players in the league.
02-17-19	Canadiens +120 v. Panthers		3-6	Loss	-100	7 h 26 m	Show
Once again the Panthers are out of serious playoff contention. They are very likely to sit out the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 18th time in 21 years. I don't see the Panthers getting that motivated for this matchup after beating Calgary in a shootout at home in their last game this past Thursday. Montreal carries the higher fatigue rating, but are in circle-the-wagons mode having lost three in a row. Note, though, those losses were against far tougher competition. The Canadiens lost to the Maple Leafs in overtime at home and lost on the road to the Predators and Lightning on Saturday. This marks their fourth game in six days. However, the Canadiens are 7-1 the past eight times in a four-on-six situation. They also beat Florida, 5-1, when they last met on Jan. 15. Montreal was playing without rest in that game, too. The Canadiens are 12-5 the past 17 times taking on a below .500 opponent. It's confirmed that James Reimer will be in net for Florida. I consider him the weaker of the Panthers' two goalies. The Canadiens are likely to start backup goalie Antti Niemi. I'd rather have Carey Price in net, but this doesn't erase the play for me. I still like Montreal.
02-17-19	Fairfield v. Niagara UNDER 147		73-78	Loss	-109	3 h 51 m	Show
Fairfield is having trouble scoring. The Staggs are averaging just 54.6 points per game during their last five games. But they are playing strong defense holding four of their last five foes to fewer than 63 points a game. The Under has cashed in each of their last nine games. Niagara is averaging 64.6 points per game in its last three games. These teams have a strong Under bias, too, with 10 of the last 13 meetings between the two schools going below the total.
02-17-19	Rangers v. Penguins UNDER 6.5		5-6	Loss	-100	11 h 59 m	Show
First off, note the start time. It's 12:30 in the afternoon East Coast time. Early starts like this tend to favor the Under. Now consider current form. Matt Murray has been hot in net for Pittsburgh. The Penguins are giving up 2.3 goals in their last three games, all with Murray as the goalie. They face a Rangers attack that is well below average ranking 25th in scoring and 30th in shots on goal. Another plus for the Penguins is the return of defenseman Justin Schultz. He played in the Penguins' last game after missing the previous 53 games with a broken leg. The Rangers also are surrendering an average of 2.3 goals in their last three games.
02-16-19	Bruins v. Kings +130		4-2	Loss	-100	12 h 38 m	Show
The Kings have short revenge for a 5-4 road overtime loss to the Bruins last Saturday. LA should be doubly motivated after losing a 4-3 shootout at home to the Canucks on Thursday. LA gave up the tying goal with 1:38 left. The Bruins had David Pastrnak, their leading goal scorer, when they defeated the Kings last week. He's out now with a thumb injury. The Kings could be getting Jeff Carter, one of their best two-way players, back for this game. Carter has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury. Note, too, the Bruins have failed to cover the past five times as a road favorite in this price range.
02-16-19	Predators v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5		1-5	Win	100	11 h 48 m	Show
Look for the Golden Knights to go all out to try to end their franchise-worst five-game home losing streak. Las Vegas' defense hasn't been sharp lately. The Knights are giving up an average of five goals a game during their past three games. The Knights have picked up their offense scoring at least three goals in four of their past five games. The Predators have scored three or more goals in four of their last six games.
02-16-19	Northwestern +5 v. Nebraska		50-59	Loss	-109	18 h 26 m	Show
Northwestern is in stop-the-pain mode suffering five straight losses, including close defeats to Iowa and Rutgers in their last two games. The Wildcats lost those two games by a combined four points. I see the Wildcats bouncing back against Nebraska, which has become a point spread nightmare going 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games, including failing to cover in its last six home contests. The Cornhuskers' collapse has coincided with a season-ending injury suffered by forward Isaac Copeland on Jan. 26. He is Nebraska's second leading scorer and rebounder. Nebraska was lucky to end its seven-game losing streak by beating Minnesota in its last game. The Gophers practically handed Nebraska the victory. That won't happen against Northwestern. Bottom line is Nebraska can't be a mid-sized favorite against any Big Ten team right now.
02-16-19	Blue Jackets v. Blackhawks OVER 6.5		5-2	Win	100	9 h 24 m	Show
Until oddsmaker start putting a 7 on Blackhawks totals, I'm going to run their Over train. Chicago can score, but plays little defense and is weak in net. The result is 14 Overs in the Blackhawks' last 15 games, including the past seven. Chicago has scored a minium of three goals per game during its last 15 games. The Blue Jackets are the eighth-highest scoring team in the league. They have produced at least three goals in six of their last eight games.
02-16-19	Tennessee v. Kentucky -3	Top	69-86	Win	100	21 h 58 m	Show
I understand the Volunteers have won 19 in a row and are 11-0 in the SEC. But I'm not sold on Tennessee, nor its coach, Rick Barnes. If the Vols win this game, I will be. But I don't see them beating Kentucky on the road. Kentucky's freshmen are starting to mesh. The Wildcats have covered eight of their last nine and are 19-7 ATS the past 26 times going against an opponent with a winning record. The Wildcats will be even more determined to win this game after suffering a 73-71 loss at home to LSU this past Tuesday that ended their 10-game win streak. The Wildcats let a nine-point second-half lead against LSU slip, losing on a tip-in at the buzzer. The Wildcats have the talented shooters to exploit Tennessee's lone real weak spot, their 3-point defense.
02-16-19	VCU v. Dayton OVER 135		69-68	Win	100	20 h 26 m	Show
The oddsmaker opened this total too low. VCU won the first meeting between the two teams, 76-71. Dayton has scored at least 75 points in three of its past five games. The Flyers average 74 points on the season, while VCU averages nearly 71 points per game. The Rams are an up-tempo team, too. The Over has cashed in four of their last five games. The Over also has won the past six times these teams have met.
02-15-19	Northern Kentucky v. Wright State -1	Top	77-81	Win	100	21 h 44 m	Show
This Horizon League showdown is being shown on ESPNU. It's the biggest game of the season for Wright State and I believe the Raiders will be up for the challenge. The Raiders are home and playing their best ball winning seven of their last eight games while going 5-3 ATS. Wright State is 11-2 at home. Northern Kentucky has a losing record on the road and has been very bad point spread-wise away from home covering only three of its last 12 road matchups. The Norse are 1-8 ATS the past nine times when on the road versus an opponent with a winning home record. Northern Kentucky defeated Wright State, 68-64, as 4 1/2-point home favorites on Jan. 11 The Raiders managed to cover despite shooting much worse from the floor than Northern Kentucky, making just three of 15 3-point attempts and shooing seven fewer free throws. Wright State's bench has improved since that defeat. The Raiders also rank 49th in the country in free throw percentage compared to Northern Kentucky, which rates 321st in the nation in free throw accuracy.
02-15-19	Rangers v. Sabres UNDER 6		6-2	Loss	-115	10 h 31 m	Show
The Sabres have gone from being a surprising Over team back to being an Under team.They have played three straight Unders after going Over in 10 of their previous 11 games. Buffalo has tightened its defense giving up five goals in its last three games and fewer than 30 shots on goal during each of these games. The Rangers haven't allowed more than three goals in regulation during 10 of their past 11 games. New York is slated to start Alexndar Georgeiev in goal. I consider him one of the better backups in the league. He was just super in his last start stopping 56 shots in a 4-1 victory against the Maple Leafs, who rank fourth in goals scored, this past Sunday. Buffalo ranks 20th in goals. The teams have played twice this season. Each game finished 3-1 with the teams splitting wins. The Under is 5-1-1 the past seven times in this series.
02-14-19	Maple Leafs v. Golden Knights -120		6-3	Loss	-120	13 h 42 m	Show
This isn't a fade on the Maple Leafs, who are playing well, but a belief that the Golden Knights will produce their "A" game in this spot. The Golden Knights are 16-8-3 at home this season, but they are in stop-the-pain mode after consecutive home losses to the Blue Jackets and to the Coyotes on Tuesday. This is Las Vegas' third of a four-game homestand. The Maple Leafs are fat and happy going 3-0 during the first four games of their six-game road swing. This includes a 5-2 win against the Avalanche on Tueday. Toronto lost its lone visit to Las Vegas last season falling, 6-3.
02-14-19	Blues v. Coyotes +140		4-0	Loss	-100	7 h 25 m	Show
The Blues are getting a lot of attention being on a seven-game win streak. But don't sleep on the Coyotes here. They represent excellent value as a home 'dog in this price range. Arizona is a gutty team that has won two in a row, including upsetting Las Vegas on the road, 5-2, on Tuesday. St. Louis is in action for the fourth time in six days. The Blues are 6-16 the past 22 times in this spot. The Coyotes have beaten the Blues three straight times, including 6-1 on Dec. 1 in the first meeting of this season.
02-14-19	Devils v. Blackhawks OVER 6.5		2-5	Win	100	11 h 57 m	Show
The perfect formula for an Over is here as we have two horrible defenses with two poor projected goalies. Cory Schneider is having a dreadful season. He hasn't been good in several seasons, while Chicago projected goalie Cam Ward is well past his prime. New Jersey just gave up eight goals to the Blues on the road on Tuesday. The Devils have permitted three or more goals in 12 of their last 16 games. The Blackhawks have scored at least three goals per game during their last 14 games. But they have given up three or more goals in 13 of their last 16 games. The teams met a month ago and the Devils won, 8-5. That game was in New Jersey. This one is in Chicago where the Over is 5-1-1 the past seven times the teams have played in the United Center.
02-14-19	Thunder -3.5 v. Pelicans	Top	122-131	Loss	-120	18 h 1 m	Show
A disinterested superstar who scored three points in his last game. A likely soon-to-be-gone head coach. 27th-rated defense. Low morale. Add it all up and you have the New Orleans Pelicans, losers of 10 of their last 14 games. I don't see the Pelicans regrouping for this matchup, their final one before the week-long All-Star break. Anthony Davis, who scored all of three points in 24 minutes during the Pelicans' excruiating painful-to-watch, 118-88, home loss to the Magic on Tuesday, wants out of New Orleans. It's a given the Pelicans are going to deal him. So Davis isn't putting out and the Pelicans are reducing his minutes not wanting to risk him getting injured. Of course this takes a toll on the Pelicans' chemistry. Alvin Gentry isn't going to get through this as the Pelicans are close to falling apart. A 30-point home loss to the 26-32 Magic doesn't bode well for New Orleans. Neither does a 99-90 road loss to the Grizzlies in their previous game. Oklahoma City is an elite team that is a sizzling 11-1 SU, 10-2 ATS. Russell Westbrook is going for his 11th consecutive triple-double and Paul George has been on fire, too, averaging 38.8 points in his last eight games. New Orleans' bottom-four defense isn't going to be able to contain them. The Thunder shouldn't be letting up either since they won't be playing again for another eight days. New Orleans hasn't had much of a home-court edge either losing six of its last seven home games while the Thunder have covered five of their last six away contests.
02-14-19	Flames -125 v. Panthers		2-3	Loss	-125	5 h 26 m	Show
The Flames are much the superior team and I expect them to put forth a strong effort to halt a three-game losing streak. Two of those three losses were against the Sharks and Lightning. So Calgary is stepping way down in class. The Flames have won eight of the last 11 times they have been a road favorite. Florida has scored just two goals in its last two games and is 1-4 the past five times hosting Calgary.
02-13-19	Grizzlies v. Bulls OVER 203		110-122	Win	100	18 h 59 m	Show
Chicago had reached triple-digits in 18 straight games until putting up 99 points against the Bucks this past Monday in their last game. The Bulls have picked up their pace since acquiring Otto Porter at the trade deadline. Porter, Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen are all good offensive players. Discount the 99-point performance against the Bucks and the Bulls are averaging 122 points in their last four games. Memphis is limited offensively, but should play loose with this being its final game before All-Star break. The Grizzlies are breaking in new players and scored 107 points on Tuesday versus the Spurs. They accomplished that without Mike Conley, their best player. Conley may play here after missing the Spurs game due to illness. The Bulls rank 18th in scoring defense and 21st in defensive field goal percentage. Chicago is giving up an average of 120.4 points in its last five games. So it's not like Memphis is going against some stellar defensive club.
02-13-19	Oilers v. Penguins UNDER 6.5		1-3	Win	100	10 h 55 m	Show
I don't trust the Oilers to hold up their end on high totals such as this one. Edmonton ranks 23rd in scoring. The Oilers have scored two or fewer goals in seven of their last 15 games. Goalie Matt Murray is heating up for the Penguins. He had a career-high 50 saves against the Flyers in Pittsburgh's last game two days ago. The Penguins have held five of their last seven opponents to three or fewer goals. The Oilers catch a break because Evgeni Malkin is suspended for this matchup. The Under has cashed five of the last seven times these teams have met.
02-13-19	Bucks -3.5 v. Pacers	Top	106-97	Win	100	17 h 0 m	Show
Indiana lost its first four games after its leading scorer and best player, Victor Oladipo, was lost for the season with a knee injury. Since then the Pacers have rebounded to win their next six games. The teams they beat are the Heat, Pelicans, Lakers, Clippers, Cavaliers and Hornets. Of that bunch only the Clippers are above .500. I don't see the Pacers stepping up in class now that they have to play the Bucks, who have the best record in the NBA and are 13-2 in their last 15 games. The Bucks are "A" level. The Pacers are "C" level. So this point spread is too short in my view. I don't see the Bucks going into All-Star break with a loss. They should have all hands on deck, including superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. He played on Monday when the Bucks whipped the Bulls, 112-99, in Chicago. There are a number of impressive trends pointing in the Bucks' direction such as being 12-3-2 ATS in their last 17 road games, 16-5 ATS when playing on one day's rest and 18-6-2 ATS during their past 26 Eastern Conference games.
02-13-19	Nets -6.5 v. Cavs		148-139	Win	100	17 h 59 m	Show
In each team's final game before the week long All-Star break, I trust Kenny Atkinson and the Nets to put forth a strong effort. I do not hold such faith for the Cavaliers especially after the Cavaliers halted a four-game losing skid with a 107-104 home victory against the Knicks. The Knicks, Cavaliers and Suns as the three worst teams in the NBA. Brooklyn is in stop-the-pain mode losing five of its past six games. The Nets are much deeper than the Cavaliers with better young talent. They have the best player on the court in emerging star D'Angelo Russell. The Nets nearly upset the Raptors on the road in their last game, losing 127-125 on Monday. The Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six road contests, while the Cavaliers are 2-7 ATS after covering in their previous game. The Nets also have added incentive - revenge. They lost 99-97 at home to the Cavaliers in December.
02-13-19	Rutgers +6 v. Northwestern		59-56	Win	100	9 h 25 m	Show
I see a close, intense game here with every point mattering. Northwestern has lost four in a row. The Wildcats have been held to fewer than 53 points in three of their last four games. Rutgers has covered four of its last six games as its freshmen continue to improve. The Scarlet Knights own straight-up victories against Nebraska, Penn State and Indiana during this span. The Scarlet Knights should be pumped in revenge mode for a 65-57 home loss to Northwestern on Jan. 18. Rutgers was without its leading scorer, Eugene Omoruyi, in that game. He will play here.
02-12-19	Maple Leafs v. Avalanche OVER 6.5		5-2	Win	100	10 h 28 m	Show
Toronto was held to one goal in its last game, a 4-1 road loss to the Rangers on Sunday. But the Maple Leafs had 56 shots on goal in that loss. Toronto was averaging five goals per game in its three previous games before that loss to New York. The Maple Leafs rank fourth in goals scored. The Avalanche rank 26th defensively. They have allowed four or more goals in six of their last seven games. The Over has cashed the past eight times these teams have played in Colorado.
02-12-19	Arkansas -117 v. Missouri		78-79	Loss	-117	11 h 16 m	Show
Arkansas has picked up its game going 4-2 SU and ATS in its last six games. The Razorbacks beat Missouri, 72-60, at home on Jan. 23. This time around, the Razorbacks catch the Tigers off a disappointing, 68-59, home loss to Texas A&M in which they blew a 12-point second half lead. The Tigers have been held to fewer than 61 points in three of their last four games missing their second-leading scorer injured Mark Smith. The Tigers have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 SEC matchups.
02-12-19	Spurs -3.5 v. Grizzlies	Top	108-107	Loss	-115	18 h 45 m	Show
This is the Spurs' final game before All-Star break. They won't play again for 10 days. So you know Gregg Popovich will pull out all the stops to prevent San Antonio from losing a season-high fifth straight game. Lack of defense has really hurt the Spurs on their current road swing. But so has the quality of opposition. San Antonio has faced the Jazz, Trail Blazers and Warriors during its past three games, all on the road. Memphis is 5-18 in its last 23 games, 8-15 ATS. The Grizzlies also are the lowest-scoring team in the league. Despite their losing streak, the Spurs still have covered 69 percent of their last 14 games following a defeat. Memphis is 7-17 ATS the last 24 times it has faced an above .500 opponent. The Grizzlies have won three of their last four. Those wins, however, came against the Knicks, Timberwolves and Pelicans. Those are three bad teams with a combined record of 61-108. The Grizzlies are a worse team, too, after trading Marc Gasol.
02-12-19	Marquette v. DePaul +3.5		92-73	Loss	-109	11 h 39 m	Show
This is a dangerous spot for 10th-ranked Marquette traveling after a huge home nationally televised victory against Villanova this past Saturday. DePaul is much improved. The Blue Demons have five wins in Big East play this season, which is their second-highest win total during the past 11 seasons. They have won two in a row. The Blue Demons are 13-3 when outrebounding their opponents. They outrebounded Marquette in the first meeting, but lost 79-69 on Jan. 23. DePaul made 15 of 19 free throws in that game. Marquette, however, was 28-for-32 from the foul line for 87.5 percent.
02-12-19	Flames v. Lightning OVER 6.5		3-6	Win	100	7 h 1 m	Show
It's certainly not too much to ask each of these teams to score at least three goals apiece. Calgary has accomplished this in 15 of its last 16 games. The Over has cashed in 14 of the Flames' last 16 games. Tampa Bay leads the NHL in goals averaging 3.8 per game. The Lightning have scored five goals in each of their last two games. The Over has cashed in four of the last five meetings, too, between the two teams.
02-12-19	Blackhawks v. Bruins OVER 6		3-6	Win	100	8 h 40 m	Show
The Blackhawks can score goals, but are pathetic defensively. These traits really show off when Chicago is on the road. So it's no wonder the Under has won during Chicago's last six road matchups. Chicago has scored 26 goals in its last five games. The Blackhawks have permitted three or more goals in 11 of their last 14 games. Boston is averaging 3.2 goals in its last four games.
02-11-19	Sharks v. Canucks OVER 6.5	Top	7-2	Win	100	22 h 35 m	Show
Only once in their last 19 games, have the Sharks failed to score at least three goals. San Jose has produced five or more goals nine times during this span. Vancouver is giving up 3.3 goals per game in its last three games. San Jose is averaging 4.6 goals in its past five games. So I have little doubt the Sharks will score anywhere from three to five goals. Vancouver's projected starting goalie, Jacob Markstrom, has a bad history versus the Sharks with a 2-5 record and 3.74 goals against average. The Sharks give up an average of 3.6 goals on the road, while Vancouver averages slightly more than three goals a game at home. The Over has cashed in six of San Jose's last seven away contests. Vancouver has gone Over 67 percent of the time during its last 53 home games. The average combined goal total in San Jose's road games this season is 7.2. So it's safe to say the Canucks also should be good for anywhere from three to five goals. If each team manages three goals than the Over cashes. That's not too much to ask.
02-11-19	Clippers v. Wolves UNDER 230		120-130	Loss	-110	8 h 56 m	Show
The Clippers are a top-eight scoring team. But they are an Under team on the road going below the total in 10 of their past 12 away matchups. LA is breaking in four new players into its rotation. Several are defensive players first. So there is an adjustment period. This also marks the Clippers' sixth straight road game and fourth game in six days. So there also is a fatigue factor working against the Clippers. That means they are likely to slow things down. The Timberwolves should play with a great deal of intensity having lost four in a row and trailing the Clippers by five games for the final playoff spot in the West. Minnesota is extremely banged-up at point guard with all four of its point guards not 100 percent. Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are likely to play, but they have a rust factor. Their ballhandling should be fine, but their shooting could be off.
02-11-19	Wizards +4.5 v. Pistons		112-121	Loss	-105	9 h 13 m	Show
Power rating-wise, I just don't see this kind of point spread difference between these two teams. Washington has a winning record in its last 15 games. The teams just met on Jan. 21 and Washington won, 101-87, as 5 1/2-point home favorites. The Wizards got stronger at the trade deadline getting Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker while the Pistons became weaker dealing Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson. Detroit has won three in a row, but the last two victories have come versus the pathetic Knicks in a home-away series. Washington isn't a good road team. But the Wizards are capable of beating below average foes away from home even stunning the Thunder in Oklahoma City last month.
02-10-19	Magic v. Hawks +2.5	Top	124-108	Loss	-105	19 h 46 m	Show
Orlando is on Cloud 9 after upsetting the Bucks, 103-83, at Milwaukee Saturday night. Even with that great victory, the Magic are just 9-17 on the road this season and 5-9 ATS in their past 14 away contests. The Hawks are in a great spot to get revenge for a 122-103 home loss to the Magic from Jan. 21. Not only do the Hawks draw the Magic in an obvious letdown spot, but also Orlando will be in action for the third time in four days and playing without rest arriving in Atlanta in the early Sunday morning hours. It's the first time the Magic have to play consecutive games since Jan. 18-19. Atlanta is below-the-radar with some excellent young players - John Collins, Trae Young, Taurean Prince and Kevin Huerter. So the Hawks are not at a talent disadvantage against the Magic. The Hawks are a respectable 12-14 in their last 16 games.
02-10-19	Maple Leafs v. Rangers OVER 6.5		1-4	Loss	-103	7 h 37 m	Show
The Maple Leafs are averaging five goals per game during their last three games. They are the No. 4 scoring team in the NHL. The Rangers have permitted at least three goals during their past five games. New York's scoring has picked up as the Rangers have scored three or more goals in seven of its last 10 games. Both teams figure to go with their second-string goalies, too. Backup Rangers goalie Alexander Georgiev already has been confirmed as being in net.
02-10-19	Lightning v. Panthers OVER 6.5		5-2	Win	100	6 h 39 m	Show
Tampa Bay is the No. 1 goal scoring team in the NHL. Florida surrenders the third-most goals in the league. The Panthers, though, are a top-13 scoring team. They have scored three or more goals in six of their last eight games. Both teams are projected to start their backup goalies - Louis Dominque and James Reimer - neither of whom is very good.
02-10-19	East Carolina +14 v. South Florida		68-72	Win	100	15 h 20 m	Show
Getting a late 3-pointer from David Collins, South Florida upset SMU as 5 1/2-point road 'dogs this past Thursday. That victory puts the Bulls 10 games above .500 for the first time in 27 years. South Florida is fat and happy as it returns home to face lowly East Carolina. The Pirates are having a rough season. But they should be pumped for this matchup while the Bulls are in a letdown spot. East Carolina has revenge for a 77-57 loss from two weeks ago and were called out by its coach following a dismal 65-49 loss to Wichita State on Wednesday. It's an added plus for East Carolina if South Florida is missing Alexix Yetna for a second straight game. He leads the American Athletic Conference in rebounding and had a huge performance in the Bulls' earlier victory against the Pirates with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Yetna is dealing with a hamstring injury. The Bulls may not want to take a chance on him for this game with a bigger matchup on deck Wednesday versus Central Florida.
02-10-19	Siena v. Rider UNDER 134		59-57	Win	100	2 h 19 m	Show
I'm going to ride the Under train with Sienna. The Saints have gone Under the total in their last eight games and are 12-2 to the low side during their past 14 Metro Atlantic Conference games. The Under also is 6-2-1 in Rider's last nine home games. Sienna has given up fewer than 55 points in five of their last six games, holding four opponents under 51 points during this current span. Rider's offense remains very inconsistent.
02-09-19	Blue Jackets v. Golden Knights OVER 6		4-3	Win	100	20 h 24 m	Show
Las Vegas is averaging 3 1/2 goals in its last two games. The Golden Knights can take advantage of a below average Columbus defense that has permitted at least three goals in 13 of its last 16 games. The Golden Knights, though, have given up three or more goals in eight of their last 10 games. The Blue Jackets are coming off a six-goal game against the Avalanche. They rank in the top 10 in scoring.
02-09-19	St. Mary's +17 v. Gonzaga	Top	46-94	Loss	-110	11 h 36 m	Show
I recall St. Mary's upsetting Gonzaga, 74-71, as 7 1/2-point road 'dogs last season. But while I'm not saying the Gaels can pull a similar upset in Spokane this season, I do believe they can hang in and that this line is inflated based on Gonzaga winning 13 in a row with many of those victories occurring in blowout fashion. The Gaels haven't lost a game in regulation by more than six points since Nov. 21. The Bulldogs are the No. 1 scoring team in the nation. St. Mary's may be down from previous seasons, but the Gaels still are very good. They rank 21st in field goal percentage and surrender fewer than 67 points a game. Gaels' guard Jordan Ford leads the West Coast Conference in scoring at 22.1 points a game.
02-09-19	Hornets -2.5 v. Hawks		129-120	Win	100	19 h 17 m	Show
If the Hornets are serious about making the playoffs they need to win a game like this. Charlotte is a bad road team. But the Hornets can beat bottom tier teams away from home. They have proven this defeating the Suns and Grizzlies during the past 4 1/2 weeks. Charlotte is 4-1 ATS the last five times meeting a foe with a winning percentage below .400. The Hornets are a better team with underrated big man Cody Zeller back from a broken right hand. He's rounding into shape having played the last two games after missing the previous 16 games. Charlotte has covered in eight of its last 11 meetings against Atlanta. The Hawks have a lot of youth and inexperience. They are home until Feb. 25 so complacently could settle in. The Hawks have failed to cover 16 of the last 21 times they have been home versus an opponent with a losing road mark. Atlanta hosts Orlando in a revenge spot on Sunday. That's a matchup the Hawks figure to be targeting more than this game. The Magic embarrassed them in Atlanta winning by 19 points on Jan. 21.
02-09-19	Tennessee Tech v. Tennessee-Martin UNDER 143.5		58-77	Win	100	7 h 40 m	Show
Offensive efficiency and tempo are two of the biggest keys in assessing a college basketball totals play. Both elements point to an Under in this Ohio Valley Conference matchup. Tennessee Tech is last in the conference in offensive efficiency. The Golden Eagles are 274th in the nation in scoring averaging less than 70 points a game. The Under has cashed in eight of their last 11 games. UT Martin plays at a slow pace. The Skyhawks have stepped up their defense recently holding four of their last five foes to fewer than 70 points per game.
02-09-19	Stars -127 v. Coyotes		2-3	Loss	-127	15 h 32 m	Show
I like the way the Stars are playing. Dallas is 5-1 in its last six games. The Stars are coming on and playing with a lot of confidence. This is just the opposite of the Coyotes, who have dropped five in a row and are dealing with multiple injuries. Dallas has dominated this series, too, winning the past nine times. The Coyotes have to feel snake bit versus the Stars. They blew a three-goal third period lead against the Stars in the first meeting this past Monday losing, 5-4. Arizona has one of the weaker home ice advantages going 9-13-2-1 at home this season.
02-09-19	Providence +7 v. St. John's		70-56	Win	100	10 h 45 m	Show
Providence is in circle-the-wagons mode here desperately needing a victory to keep alive thoughts of trying to make the NCAA Tournament for a school-record sixth straight time. The Friars catch St. John's in a possible letdown scenario after the Red Storm upset Marquette, 70-69, on Wednesday dealing the Golden Eagles their first home loss of the season. The Friars have the defense to hang in against St. John's leading the Big East in forcing turnovers and ranking in the top-50 in adjusted defense. The Friars also like to play at Madison Square Garden. They reached the finals of the Big East Tournament playing at MSG last season before losing to Villanova in overtime. The Friars are 9-4 ATS the past 13 times on the road when playing an opponent with an above .600 home record. Providence has defeated St. John's in six of the last seven meetings, including the past three. The Red Storm are 0-4 ATS the last four times they have hosted Providence.
02-08-19	Bucks -7.5 v. Mavs	Top	122-107	Win	100	19 h 36 m	Show
Maybe the oddsmaker doesn't quite realize how strong the Bucks are and how weak the Mavericks have become. Because this opening line is way short in my view. It's Milwaukee, not Golden State, that has the best record in the NBA at 40-13. The Bucks rank either first, second or third in points per game, rebounding, field goal percentage and 3-pointers. They are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games. The teams met recently - Jan. 21 - with the Bucks winning, 116-106, at home. Since then, the Mavericks have traded four of their top five players. Gone are DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes and Dennis Smith Jr. Dallas is left with Luka Doncic and a bunch of lottery-type players. The Bucks will have at least four of the five best players on the court in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brodon and Eric Bledsoe. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is left trying to sift out the garbage. It's going to take him a while to figure out his rotation and the Bucks are not the opponent to experiment on. This is a kill spot for the Bucks given how well they are playing, five consecutive victories all by double-digits, and how bad and vulnerable the Mavericks are now the day after the trade deadline.
02-08-19	Hurricanes v. Rangers +111		3-0	Loss	-100	18 h 37 m	Show
The Rangers dominate the Hurricanes in New York winning 83 percent of the past 31 times they have hosted Carolina. This includes the last meeting, a 6-2 Rangers home victory on Jan. 15. The Hurricanes are playing for the third time in four days. They just nipped the Sabres, 6-5, on the road in overtime Thursday. The Rangers have been home all month. They are coming off a 4-3 shootout win against the Bruins on Wednesday. The Rangers needed that win and they need to win here being nine points out of the second wild card spot with Carolina one of the teams ahead of them.
02-08-19	Princeton +8 v. Yale		60-74	Loss	-106	4 h 53 m	Show
I see excellent value here with Princeton. The Tigers have won seven in a row while covering in their last five games. They are 20-8-1 ATS following a victory. Yale is strong, too. But the Bulldogs can be vulnerable defensively. I prefer Princeton's defense. I'm expecting a slow pace, which is a plus, too, for an underdog taking this many points. The Tigers are giving up only 55.5 points per game in Ivy League play this season.
02-07-19	Spurs +6 v. Blazers		118-127	Loss	-105	8 h 20 m	Show
I am a buyer at this number. Too much value on the Spurs, who are in stop-the-pain mode after opening their annual rodeo road trip with blowout losses to the Kings and Warriors last night. LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, the Spurs' two best players, were rested against the Warriors. I expect them to produce strong efforts against Portland. The Spurs are 9-2-1 ATS following a loss and Gregg Popovich is really stressing defense for this game after not being pleased with the Spurs' effort against Golden State. Only once in their past five meetings with the Trail Blazers have the Spurs lost against the spread.
02-07-19	Hawaii +1 v. Long Beach State	Top	77-70	Win	100	21 h 33 m	Show
I'm usually attracted to the superior team in a pick or underdog spot. That's what we have here with Hawaii against Long Beach State. Hawaii is 4-3 in the Big West Conference. The Warriors are in must-win mode being 2 1/2 games out of first place. They are ranked 189th in the highly respected Ken Pom ratings. Long Beach State is 2-5 in the Big West with five consecutive losses. The 49ers are ranked 37 spots behind Hawaii by Ken Pom. The Warriors are surrendering 15 fewer points per game than the 49ers during the past five games. The two teams just met last Thursday and Hawaii was a 9 1/2-point home favorite. The Warriors shot 41.7 percent from the floor, missed 21 of 28 3-pointers and shot five fewer free throws yet still easily won, 74-57. So what has caused around a 10-point difference in the line? Well Hawaii is leaving the island following a 75-54 home loss to Santa Barbara as 3-point favorites, but that's not nearly worth that many points. The Warriors are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games, 8-2 ATS in their last 10 road games following three or more straight home games and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 matchups versus a sub .500 opponent. Long Beach State is just 3-7 ATS in its past 10 games against foes with winning records.
02-07-19	Blue Jackets -129 v. Coyotes		4-2	Win	100	11 h 50 m	Show
Columbus is 15-9-1 on the road this season. The Blue Jackets are coming off a confidence-building 6-3 win at Colorado that halted a five-game losing streak with three of those losses occurring by one goal. The Blue Jackets outshot the Avalanche, 19-5, in the third period. The Blue Jackets have regained momentum and have revenge for a 4-1 home loss to the Coyotes from earlier in the season. The Coyotes are playing at home for the first time in 20 days. This is their fourth game in seven days. Arizona is dealing with a four-game losing streak, a bad spot having been away from home for so long and multiple injuries.
02-07-19	Sharks v. Flames OVER 6.5		5-2	Win	100	8 h 51 m	Show
Calgary has scored at least 3 goals in each of its last 14 games. San Jose has scored 3 or more goals in 16 of its last 17 games. The Over is 10-3-1 the last 14 times the Sharks have been a road 'dog. These trends are worth riding in what should be a wide open game.
02-07-19	Jets -105 v. Canadiens		2-5	Loss	-105	6 h 14 m	Show
I want the Jets going for me here after they lost in overtime to the Sharks a thome on Tuesday. The Jets are 22-8 on one day's rest. Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck is playing well. The Jets' defense gets a big boost with the expected return of star defenseman Dustin Byfuglien. He has missed the last 15 games with an ankle injury.
02-06-19	Oklahoma State v. TCU UNDER 142	Top	68-70	Win	100	12 h 10 m	Show
TCU is one of those good home, bad road teams. The Horned Frogs are home here and primed for a strong game epecially defensively. TCU coach Jamie Dixon is really stressing defense following his team's embarrassing 90-64 road loss to Baylor this past Saturday. That was the Horned Frogs' worst loss since Dixon became their coach in 2016. TCU has held its last three home opponents to an average of 59.3 points a game. The Horned Frogs allowed their past two opponents - Baylor and Texas Tech - to make 24 of 49 3-point shots for 49 percent. Both of those games were on the road. Despite that, the Horned Frogs still rank 26th in the nation in 3-point defensive percentage and were leading the Big 12 in 3-point defense prior to those games. Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 in 3-point shooting. But I see the Horned Frogs really clamping down on the Cowboys. Oklahoma State is averaging just 62.7 points in its last four games. The Cowboys, though, rank 64th in defensive field goal percentage. They have slowed down their pace, too, from earlier in the season, which is a strong plus for the Under.
02-06-19	George Mason -117 v. Richmond		67-81	Loss	-117	10 h 40 m	Show
Look for George Mason to bounce back against Richmond. The Patriots had a five-game win streak snapped by VCU this past Saturday. The Patriots are tied for second in the Atlantic 10 with a 7-2 mark. They are 6-1 ATS in their past seven road games. Richmond is 2-7 in conference. The Spiders are 1-5 SU and ATS in their last six games. They have failed to cover in their past four home contests and have played much worse since losing guard Nick Sherod in late November. Richmond averages fewer than 70 points a game. George Mason ranks 89th in scoring defense.
02-05-19	Sharks v. Jets OVER 6.5		3-2	Loss	-115	4 h 41 m	Show
The Sharks have scored 3 or more goals in 15 of their last 16 games. The Over is 10-4-2 in their last 16 games. The Jets have scored 4 or more goals in seven of their last nine games. They have scored 17 goals in their last three games. Both teams have fresh legs following the break and the rust is off their offenses. So I expect another high scoring game with each team getting at least three goals.
02-05-19	Valparaiso +8 v. Illinois State		69-53	Win	100	11 h 48 m	Show
Taking points often is the way to go in the defensive-minded Missouri Valley Conference. Valparaiso gives up five fewer points per game than Illinois State and draws the Redbirds in a flat spot. Illinois State just beat Loyola of Chicago in front of a sell-out home crowd on Saturday in a first place conference showdown. Valparaiso is in stop-the-pain mode, strong defensively while the Redbirds are just average offensively. If the Crusaders can't pull the outright upset they should be able to hang around and get the cover.
02-05-19	Wild -103 v. Sabres		4-5	Loss	-103	20 h 38 m	Show
The Sabres have crashed going 5-12 in their last 17 games, including losing six of their past eight. The Wild has been playing better. I was impressed with their effort and offense in their last game even though it was a 4-3 home overtime loss to the Blackhawks. Minnesota is 8-3 the past 11 times playing on two days rest. The Wild have defeated the Sabres in eight of the last 11 meetings, including winning the past five times in Buffalo.
02-05-19	Lakers -3 v. Pacers	Top	94-136	Loss	-115	11 h 44 m	Show
LeBron. That's the short answer as to why Lakers in this game. LeBron James is set to play in his second game back from injury after missing the Lakers' 115-101 road loss to the Warriors on Saturday. The Lakers are a fractured team right now. James can pull them through. LA has much tougher games on deck in this road trip meeting the Celtics and 76ers in its next two games. The Pacers carry a much higher fatigue rating than the Lakers. They just finished a four-game, six-day road swing that concluded with a 109-107 win against the Pelicans last night. That victory followed a win against the Heat on Saturday. Indiana was 0-4 since losing its leading scorer and top player, Victor Oladipo, with a knee injury for the season before those victories. Oladipo didn't play either when the teams met in the first meeting this season. James did and scored 38 points in the Lakers' 104-96 win.
02-05-19	Kings v. Devils -130		5-1	Loss	-130	9 h 14 m	Show
The Kings are a fade for me here after pulling out an improbable 4-3 road win against the Rangers last night. The Kings have the fewest road wins in the Western Conference and rank second-to-last in scoring. LA might also be missing one its best players with Jeff Carter questionable after sufering a lower-body injury against the Rangers. The Devils are 13-7 at home. The Kings are 4-11 in their last 15 road games when facing an opponent with a winning home record. The Kings haven't won two straight games since December. New Jersey is likely to go with Keith Kinkaid in net. He is 4-0 versus the Kings with a 0.85 goals against average and .970 save percentage.
02-04-19	Spurs -120 v. Kings		112-127	Loss	-120	22 h 48 m	Show
Sacramento is much improved this season as a number of its younger players have stepped up. The Kings have become a playoff contender. But they are not quite good enough to be a playoff team in the loaded Western Conference. They are at least one level behind the Spurs. The Kings are 3-9 ATS the past 12 times when taking on an above .500 foe. San Antonio embarks on its annual rodeo road trip riding a five-game win streak. LaMarcus Aldridge is having a huge season. Rudy Gay is playing well since returning from a wrist injury and DeMar DeRozan is back from injury. Those three reliable pros give the Spurs a veteran edge on the youthful Kings. Not only are the Spurs putting a huge emphasis on starting their eight-game road trip with a victory, but they have revenge motivation. The Kings beat the Spurs, 104-99, at home on Nov. 12. San Antonio had won the previous 14 games against the Kings. The Spurs have covered 73 percent of their last 16 games in Sacramento. The Spurs are the better team, have motivation and the price is right to back them.
02-04-19	Kings v. Rangers -127		4-3	Loss	-127	18 h 32 m	Show
The Kings are the lowest-scoring team in the NHL averaging 2.3 goals a game. They have scored eight goals during their past six road games. LA has dropped 21 of its past 29 away matchups. The Kings have really struggled against Eastern Conference opponents losing eight of the last nine to them. I like the way the Rangers have been playing. They are 4-2 in their last six games and could easily be 6-0 in these games. Their two losses were 1-0 to the Flyers when they just missed on a lot of good scoring chances and 3-2 to the league-leading Lightning. The Kings aren't playing at that level having lost seven of their past 11.
02-04-19	Louisville +4 v. Virginia Tech		72-64	Win	100	20 h 54 m	Show
Chris Mack is a great coach and I expect Louisville to put forth a maximum effort following Saturday's 79-69 home loss to North Carolina. There is no shame in losing to North Carolina. There is shame, though, in how meekly the Cardinals went down to defeat. Louisville is 8-1-1 ATS following a point spread loss. The Cardinals also have covered in six of their past seven road contests. Until falling to the Tar Heels, the Cardinals had won six straight Atlantic Coast Conference games, winning those games by an average of 18 points. So maybe they were due for a flat performance. I don't expect a second bad game in a row. Virginia Tech is coming off a bizarre 47-24 road victory against North Carolina State on Saturday. The Hokies only hit 36 percent of their shots, but still won by 23 points. Virginia Tech got away with not having senior point guard Justin Robinson against the frigid-shooting Wolfpack. But the absence of Robinson, who is out with an ankle injury, could really hurt the Hokies versus the Cardinals. Robinson is Virginia Tech's second-leading scorer and leads the team in assists.
02-03-19	Patriots -129 v. Rams	Top	13-3	Win	100	287 h 51 m	Show
Monster quarterback edge. Far more biggest-stage experience. Intangibles. I want all those things going for me and that's why I am siding with the Patriots. Look I love Sean McVay. But if there's one coach - and there is only one coach - who can trump McVay it is Bill Belichick especially with two weeks of preparation. I don't trust Jared Goff. He didn't look good down the stretch once Cooper Kupp suffered a season-ending knee injury halfway through the season. Only once in his last seven games did Goff reached 300 yards passing. Goff had only a 10-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio when not playing at home. The Rams averaged just 22.6 points during their last six games if you discount their 48-point performance versus the 49ers. The Patriots have excellent cornerbacks. They can control Brandin Cooks, who they know well since Cooks was with New England last season, and Robert Woods. The Patriots had the 11th-best run defense, too. Tom Brady is the best big-game quarterback in NFL history. The only other names you can throw into that argument are Joe Montana, Bart Starr and Otto Graham. The Rams haven't been to the Super Bowl since 2001. That happened to be the first Super Bowl Belichick and Brady played in together. Since then the Patriots have played in seven other Super Bowls. This is their ninth Super, fourth one in five season and third straight. Cooks and defensive back Aqib Talib are the only Rams who have even played in a Super Bowl. The Patriots have covered nine of their last 12 playoff games. What is McVay's history? The Rams were one-and-done last season losing by 13 points at home to the Falcons as 6 1/2-point favorites. They barely managed to cover against the Cowboys at home this season in their first playoff game and then hung in to pull the upset against the Saints in the NFC title game benefitting from maybe the worst non-call in playoff history on an obvious pass interference call. I don't mean to demean, or sound harsh against the Rams. Again, I really like McVay. I do think he is at the genius level. He just doesn't have the quarterback, nor the dominant shutdown type of defense needed to beat the Patriots. New England may have the most underrated interior offensive line in football. The Patriots haven't allowed a sack in playoff victories against the Chargers and Chiefs. The Rams finished with 11 fewer sacks than the Chiefs and had just three more sacks than the Chargers during the regular season. Todd Gurley is the Rams' most dangerous weapon. And he's not 100 percent. He barely played against the Saints carrying only four times, which tells me he's far from 100 percent because of a lingering knee injury. If Gurley isn't in top form than Sony Michel is the best running back. Michel is stepping up with 242 rushing and five touchdowns in New England's two postseason victories. He has looked great. The Patriots are a combined 62-1 in the regular season and playoffs when having a runner rush for 100 yards. Aaron Donald is a monster in the Rams' defensive line. But LA doesn't have the quality linebackers to both stop Michel and cover the Patriots' various short receiving threats - running back James White, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, who looked better than he had in weeks during the win against the Chiefs. Brady is the master at knowing who and when to use his various weapons. I'm not betting against him and Belichick.
02-03-19	Oilers v. Canadiens UNDER 6		3-4	Loss	-109	9 h 18 m	Show
This will be the second game following the long All-Star break for both teams. I see a defensive battle with less rust on each club. The Canadiens have scored two goals in each of their last three games. They have failed to score more than three goals in 11 of their last 13 games. Montreal has the second-worst power play in the NHL. Edmonton gave up four power play goals in their 5-4 overtime loss to the Flyers this past Saturday. So the Oilers will be really clamping down if they fall a man short. Carey Price will be in goal for Montreal after sitting out the Canadiens' first game back from break due to a one-game suspension. Price is having a strong bounce back season with a 2.56 GAA.
02-03-19	Thunder v. Celtics UNDER 227		129-134	Loss	-110	9 h 52 m	Show
It's easy to think offense with superstars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Kyrie Irving on the court. But Oklahoma City and Boston also are strong defensively. The Thunder give up the 12th fewest points in the league. The Celtics rank No. 3 in scoring defense and No. 2 in defensive field goal percentage. The Celtics are giving up just 100.6 points per game in their last six games discounting a 115-point performance that Golden State put up against Boston. There were just 196 points scored during the first meeting, which the Celtics won, 101-95, back in late October. It was the fourth time in the last five in the series that the Under has cashed. Note this is a day game. That's usually a plus for an Under, too.
02-03-19	Xavier v. Creighton -6		54-76	Win	100	9 h 58 m	Show
Creighton is undervalued given its tough Big East schedule. Xavier is not. The Musketeers are just bad this season especially on the road. Xavier is 1-5 SU and ATS in true road games this season. All of those road defeats have been by seven or more points. The Musketeers also are 1-6 ATS in their last seven road contests when going up against opponents who own a winning home record. The Bluejays average 82 points when playing at home. Xavier averages 68.1 points on the road. The Bluejays should be pumped, too, for this Sunday home game in a double revenge spot after Xavier won both meetings last season, including nipping Creighton by one point in Omaha.
02-02-19	Cal Poly v. CS-Northridge -8		65-83	Win	100	10 h 46 m	Show
Cal Poly is coming off a surpring 71-45 road win against UC Riverside two days ago. The Mustangs were 7-point 'dogs in that game. Cal Poly, though, is far from being a good team. The Mustangs were 1-9 going into that game. They are 2-7 ATS in their last nine lined games. They also are a very bad road team going 6-15-2 ATS during their last 23 away matchups. Northridge is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games. The Matadors defeated Cal Poly on the road earlier this season and have covered eight of the last 10 in the series.
02-02-19	Lakers v. Warriors -10.5	Top	101-115	Win	100	17 h 60 m	Show
No team can hang with the Warriors when Golden State is home and fully motivated. I see the Warriors playing with a great deal of intensity following a humbling nationally televised home defeat to the 76ers this past Thursday. That halted the Warriors' 11-game win streak and occurred right after Golden State had returned home following a 5-0 road sweep. It was a flat spot for the Warriors and the 76ers took advantage. Golden State has dominated this series defeating the Lakers in eight of the last nine meetings. However, the one loss during this stretch came on Christmas Day when the Lakers humiliated the Warriors, 127-101. That defeat still bothers the Warriors, who should be at full strength to face the Lakers. LA has LeBron James back, but could have a serious problem at point guard with Lonzo Ball out and Rajon Rondo questionable with an ankle injury. James had missed the previous 17 games with a groin injury until returning in the Lakers' last game, a 123-120 overtime win versus the Clippers on Thursday. James had to log 40 minutes in that victory and said his groin felt sore after the game. So if the Lakers fall way behind they may limit James' minutes not wanting to risk him getting reinjured. The Lakers showed they aren't much without James going 6-11 in his absence. The Lakers have failed to cover in nine of their last 12 visits to Oracle Arena.
02-02-19	Blackhawks v. Wild OVER 6		4-3	Win	100	7 h 27 m	Show
The Blackhawks can score, but play no defense. That combination has resulted in nine straight Over the totals. Chicago has scored three or more goals in nine straight games. However, the Blackhawks have yielded three or more goals in 10 of their last 11 games. They are giving up five goals per game during their last three away matchups. The Blackhawks have been long-term Over the total money-makers on the road. The Over is 34-15-4 in Chicago's last 53 road games. The Wild had scored a combined nine goals in their last two games before the All-Star break. They came back rusty losing 3-1 to the Stars on the road Friday night. Dallas, though, has been playing stellar defense. Chicago certainly isn't doing that.
02-02-19	Clippers +1.5 v. Pistons		111-101	Win	100	14 h 34 m	Show
I'm usually attracted to the better team getting points especially when the situation sets up. That's the case here. The Clippers begin their six-game road trip with this matchup having lost at home in their past two games. The Clippers have won and covered three of their last four road games and have revenge motivation for a 109-104 loss they suffered to Detroit as seven-point home favorites on Jan. 12. The Clippers can't afford to lose this game with their next game looming at Toronto on Sunday. Detroit is 9-21 in its last 30 games. The Pistons were life-and-death at home against a depleted Mavericks squad in their last game on Thursday. It took two free throws by Andre Drummond, a notoriously bad free throw shooter, with 3.3 seconds left to give the Pistons a 93-89 victory. Dallas was without its four best players in that game as Luka Doncic sat out with a sore ankle and DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and Dennis Smith Jr. all were traded earlier that day.
02-02-19	Hofstra v. Northeastern OVER 147.5		61-75	Loss	-110	4 h 28 m	Show
Hofstra has gone Over in its last four games. The Pride has scored 84, 85, 86 and 87 points in these games. They have scored 84 or more points in eight of their last 10 games. Northeastern has gone Over in six of its last eight home games. The Huskies have gone Over in five of their last six overall contests. They have scored 78 or more points in six of their last nine games.
02-02-19	San Francisco v. St. Mary's -5		80-86	Win	100	4 h 10 m	Show
St. Mary's has covered the past five times hosting San Francisco. The Gaels have covered their past five home games and will be highly motivated to get revenge for a road loss to the Dons earlier this season. San Francisco has a revenge game on tap - playing Gonzaga on Thursday. The Gaels have won each of their last seven home games by 15 or more points. The Gaels are back to playing top-notch defense holding three of their past five opponents to 60 points or fewer.
02-01-19	Wild v. Stars -127		1-3	Win	100	10 h 22 m	Show
The Stars have been extremely stingy on defense giving up only 1.7 goals per game during their last seven games. Dallas got its rust off following the long All-Star break with a 1-0 home victory against the Sabres on Wednesday. Buffalo was averaging four goals a game during its last three games entering that matchup. Minnesota has a severe disadvantage having not played for eight days. The Wild historically struggle at Dallas, too, having lost 76 percent of the time there during their past 34 visits.
02-01-19	Grizzlies v. Hornets -4.5	Top	92-100	Win	100	19 h 38 m	Show
The Hornets are the epitome of a good home team, bad road club. Charlotte is 17-8 at home, but just the opposite - 7-18 - in its away matchups. One of the Hornets' few road victories came just nine days ago when they defeated the Grizzlies, 118-107. It was the seventh time in the past eight meetings that Charlotte has covered against Memphis. I'm expecting that trend to continue today. Memphis has hoisted the white flag with losses in 16 of its last 18 games, including a 1-10 record in its last 11 games. The Grizzlies, to their credit, have been competitive in their last four games losing by three to the Kings at home, upsetting the Pacers at home, losing by just three to the Nuggets on the road and falling to the Timberwolves by two in overtime this past Wednesday at home. The last two defeats were especially brutal for the Grizzlies as they blew a 25-point lead against the Nuggets and were knocked off by the Timberwolves when Karl-Anthony Towns hit a 20-footer at the buzzer off an offensive rebound to give Minnesota the victory. I don't see the Grizzlies, with their low morale and trade rumors swirling about their two best players - Marc Gasol and Mike Conley - getting up a third straight time even though they do have a revenge factor. The game is much more important for the Hornets, who currently hold the final playoff spots in the East. Charlotte is off a bad 126-94 road loss to the Celtics on Wednesday. This is the first game of a three-game homestand. Charlotte plays with a lot more confidence at home. The Hornets destroyed the Grizzlies, 140-79, at home last season when Memphis had a better team. I see this opening number clearly being short.
02-01-19	Lightning -140 v. Islanders		1-0	Win	100	9 h 15 m	Show
I want the Lightning going for me in these circumstances. Tampa Bay got the rust off following the long All-Star break by losing, 4-2, on the road to the Penguins two days ago. The Islanders, though, have not played since Jan. 22. The Islanders are 2-6 the past eight times when not having played for at least three days. They figure to be extremely out of sync. Tampa Bay has owned this series winning 10 of the past 12 times against the Islanders. Even with the loss to Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay still has won 10 of last 14 away matchups. The Lightning will be highly motivated off a loss. The last time Tampa Bay lost a second consecutive game was back on Nov. 13.
02-01-19	Princeton -124 v. Columbia		55-43	Win	100	2 h 9 m	Show
Princeton is in excellent form winning five in a row. I'm going to ride the Tigers here as they have an excellent track record in these type of spots going 6-1 ATS the past seven times meeting an opponent that has a losing won/lost record. The Tigers are 5-2 on the road with a winning ATS away record, too. Columbia is 2-7 ATS at home versus a foe with a winning away mark. Princeton has dominated this series, too, covering eight of the last nine times.
01-31-19	Oregon v. Utah UNDER 136.5		78-72	Loss	-110	12 h 39 m	Show
Since losing star center Bol Bol for the season, Oregon has become a different team. The Ducks aren't who you think they are. They go motion a lot and eat up clock. The Under has cashed in three of their last four games. They have held four of their past five opponents to 61 points or fewer. Utah has picked up its defense. The Utes have not allowed any of their last five foes to score more than 70 points. Utah has had difficulty going against tight zone defenses. Oregon is playing far more zone since they no longer have rim protector Bol. These teams have a huge Under history, too, with 10 of the last 11 in the series going below the total.
01-31-19	Mavs v. Pistons -125	Top	89-93	Win	100	17 h 48 m	Show
Dallas is coming off a 114-90 burial of the Knicks Wednesday night. That's impressive until you realize the Knicks are 10-40 with the fewest wins in the NBA and that was just the Mavericks' fifth road win in 25 away games this season. Detroit has a winning home record. The Pistons have short revenge for a 106-101 road loss suffered to Dallas this past Friday. This is the second of a four-game homestand for the Pistons. They lost to the Bucks in their last game. No shame in that. But the Pistons host the Clippers and Nuggets in their next two games. So this is the easiest one. It's a game the prideful Dwane Casey doesn't want to lose. Casey was an assistant coach for the Mavericks before he became the Raptors head coach previous to taking over the Pistons this season. Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond give the Pistons the two best players in the frontcourt.
01-31-19	Rangers +127 v. Devils		4-3	Win	127	18 h 55 m	Show
After being idle for eight days, the Devils came out of All-Star break beating the Penguins, 6-3, on the road. That was on Monday. The Devils haven't played since. So this will be just their third game in 11 days. The Rangers are in a more normal pattern. New York lost 1-0 at home to the Flyers on Tuesday. The Rangers are 4-0 the past four times when playing on one day's rest. Before upsetting the Penguins, the Devils had lost three in a row with two of the defeats occurring by three goals. The Rangers had won three consecutive games entering break before falling to the Flyers. New York fired 38 shots on goal, but had some tough luck. Not only did they have shots hit off the post, but Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz came up with probably his finest performance of the season with several super saves. The Rangers are likely to go with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. He has more wins and shutouts in his career against the Devils than any other opponent. The Rangers also are expected to have back Mats Zuccarello, their top right winger. He missed the Flyers game. The Devils, however, are not likely to have defenseman Sami Vatanen. He suffered a concussion against the Penguins.
01-31-19	Wofford v. Mercer +7.5		76-67	Loss	-110	7 h 35 m	Show
Wofford is in a flat spot coming off a three-game home sweep where it won two of those games in the final seconds. Despite those victories, the Terriers still have failed to cover in their last four Southern Conference games. Mercer is a bad road team, but good at home going 7-2. The Bears are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home contests. The Bears hung tough at Wofford in the first meeting losing, 78-74, as 12-point road 'dogs on Jan. 5.
01-30-19	Jazz v. Blazers -114	Top	105-132	Win	100	20 h 18 m	Show
Utah is 9-1 in its last 10 games. Impressive, right? On closer examination not quite. The Jazz have compiled that record against bad teams: sweeping the Timberwolves in a home-and-road series and winning home games against the Magic, LeBron James-less Lakers, Bulls, Pistons and Cavaliers. The Jazz's lone loss during this span happened to be against the Trail Blazers in Salt Lake City. The Trail Blazers defeated Utah, 109-104, as five-point road 'dogs despite a huge discrepancy in free throws. Portland was 11-for-15 from the foul line in that game, while Utah sank 25 of 31 free throws. Portland is very strong at home going 21-7 SU, 18-10 ATS. The Trail Blazers have been pointing to this matchup, too, having been idle since Saturday.
01-30-19	Fresno State -12 v. Wyoming		75-62	Win	100	11 h 15 m	Show
I want Fresno State going for me after the Bulldogs were upset, 74-65, as 6-point road favorites at Colorado State in their last game. The Bulldogs have not lost two games in a row all season. Wyoming is 1-6 in the Mountain West having lost six of its last seven games. Wyoming has been hard hit by injuries and lacks the scoring to keep up with Fresno State. The Cowboys average just 65.6 points a game, which ranks 323rd in the nation. Fresno State is 7-1 ATS the past eight times facing a foe with a losing home record. The Cowboys have failed to cover eight of the last 10 times versus opponents with a winning record. They lack the manpower and experience to cope with what should be a fired-up and mad Bulldogs squad.

Service	Profit
Ricky Tran	$793
John Ryan	$773
Chip Chirimbes	$750
Mike Lundin	$746
Dave Price	$585
Trev Rogers	$488
Marc David	$255
Jesse Schule	$190
Rocky Atkinson	$173
Jimmy Boyd	$153

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