Archive for February 2012
Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic
February 29, 2012 | 
Author The Orlando Magic look to continue their dominance over the Washington Wizards when the two collide tonight. The Wizards are -8.5 point favorites over the Magic with an over/under point total set at 191.
Despite constant trade rumours surrounding All-Star Dwight Howard, the Magic have managed to stay within reach of the top four in the East through the first half of the season. Orlando has been particularly good so far in the month of February, posting a 10-4 record heading into the All-Star break. The Wizards on the other hand went into the break riding a four game losing streak, which was extended to five in their tough fought 118-119 loss in Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
The Magic have now won eight straight meetings against the Wizards dating back to early 2010, including the first two meetings this season, both of which were in Orlando. In the first matchup back in early January, the Magic raced out of the gates to hold a 31-14 first quarter advantage and, eventually cruised to a 103-85 victory. Dwight Howard led the way with 28 points and 20 rebounds, while Nick Young added 17 for a Wizards team that shot just 36.6% from the field. Washington managed to keep it closer in the most recent meeting, but the result was still the same as the Magic pulled away late to record a 109-103 win, thanks to a combined 66 points from Dwight Howard, Ryan Anderson and J.J. Redick.
Head to head, the Magic are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings and 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Washington, while the favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings and the home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings. The Wizards are just 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall. The Magic on the other hand are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 road games and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
I’m having real trouble with this one. While the Magic certainly looked the goods before the All-Star break and they have won the last eight meetings between the two, the trend has to stop sometime, so why not tonight? I know the Wizards played last night, but that shouldn’t really affect them with the break they just had. If anything, the Magic might come out a little rusty.
Pick
Washington Wizards +8.5 Orlando Magic
New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The New York Knicks return from the All-Star break to tackle the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks are -9.5 point favorites over the Cavaliers with an over/under point total set at 192.5.
Even though they entered the All-Star break under .500, the Knicks were the most talked about team in the league for the last couple of weeks, thanks to the hype that is “Lin-sanity”. Since taking over at point guard for the Knicks, the previously little known point guard has averaged 22.6 points and 8.7 assists during a 9-3 run that has New York looking like the playoff team we all excepted them to at the start of the season. The Cavaliers, who haven’t been talked about half as much as the Knicks, have had an impressive first half of the season, behind the stellar play of rookie sensation Kryie Irving. The front runner for rookie of the year is averaging 18.3 points per game and 5.1 assists per game to lead the Cavaliers to a 13-19 record, which is a big improvement from a season ago.
The Cavaliers got the better of the Knicks in their first meeting of the season, running away with a 91-81 victory in Cleveland in late January. Despite a 1-7 shooting night from Kyrie Irving, Cleveland managed to pull away in the second half, outscoring New York by five points in each of the last two quarters. Antawn Jamison led the home team with 15 points, while Amare Stoudamire led all scorers with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
Head to head, the Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings, while the home team is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings and the underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. The Knicks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 home games and 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games overall. The Cavaliers on the other hand are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as an underdog, but just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Like the Cavaliers quite a lot here. Cleveland did play against Boston last night, but I’m not sure that’s really a disadvantage because we saw a few teams look a bit rusty after the break last night. I could go on forever here, but I just don’t think the Knicks win this one by double digits. Take the Cavs in what looks to be one of the stronger plays of the night.
Pick
Cleveland Cavaliers +9.5 New York Knicks
Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
The Nebraska Cornhuskers play their final home game of the season as they host the Iowa Hawkeyes in Lincoln on Wednesday. The Cornhuskers are -1.5 point favorites over the Hawkeyes with an over/under point total set at 135.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are winding down their first season as members of the Big Ten and Doc Sadler know there will be better years in the future. Nebraska is 4-12 in the Big 10, 9-7 at home this season, and tied for 11th place in the conference standings. Bo Spencer is averaging 15.1 points, Toney McCray is averaging 9.8 points and 4.5 rebounds, and Dylan Talley is averaging 8.8 points. As a team the Huskers are averaging 60.9 points and they are shooting 43.1 percent while defensively they are allowing 64.7 points and their opponents are shooting 44.8 percent. Nebraska has lost six of their last seven games.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have lost three of their last five games and if Fran McCaffrey’s team can at the very least split their last two they can finish above .500 for the season. Iowa is 7-9 in the Big 10, 2-8 on the road this season, and they are tied for seventh place in the conference standings. Matt Gatens is averaging 15.7 points, Roy Devyn Marble is averaging 11.1 points, and Aaron White is averaging 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. As a team the Hawkeyes are averaging 72.7 points and they are shooting 45 percent while defensively they are allowing 71.7 points and their opponents are shooting 45.5 percent. Iowa has come up big several times this season but other times they have just failed to rise to the occasion
Nebraska is 1-4 against the spread following a loss, 3-8 against the spread in their last 11 home games, and 1-6 against the spread in their last seven games overall. Iowa is 5-2 against the spread against a team with a losing record, 0-4 against the spread in their last four road games, and 5-1 against the spread in their last six Wednesday games.
This game should be a pick at best but actually Iowa is the better team here and where I am going.
Pick
Iowa Hawkeyes +1.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Tags: College Basketball betting, Iowa Hawkeyes, Nebraska Cornhuskers | 
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LSU Tigers vs. Tennessee Volunteers
The LSU Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers try to catch the eye of the post season selection committees as they meet on Wednesday in Baton Rouge. The Tigers are -1 point favorites over the Volunteers with an over/under point total set at 124.
The LSU Tigers looked like they had an outside chance of making the field of 68 for this year’s NCAA Tournament but Trent Johnson’s team was at the wrong end of a beat down against Ole Miss which could end up being their final undoing. LSU is 7-7 in the SEC, 11-3 at home this season, and they are in sixth place in the conference standings. Justin Hamilton is averaging 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, Andre Stringer is averaging 10.4 points, and Anthony Hickey is averaging 9.1 points. As a team the Tigers are averaging 65.7 points and they are shooting 40.8 percent while defensively they are allowing 63.1 points and their opponents are shooting 41.2 percent. LSU has a 63 RPI and the 53rd ranked schedule and that might not be enough to get it done with their record.
The Tennessee Volunteers have won six of their last seven games and Cuonzo Martin’s team is looking to make it interesting on selection Sunday. Tennessee is 8-6 in the SEC, 3-8 on the road this season, and they are tied for fourth place in the conference standings. Trae Golden is averaging 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds, Jeronne Maymon is averaging 12.6 points and 8.0 rebounds, and Jordan McCrae is averaging 9.2 points. As a team the Vols are averaging 68.8 points and they are shooting 44.5 percent while defensively they are allowing 65.1 points and their opponents are shooting 41.4 percent. Tennessee has been on an outright tear but it may have started just a little too late.
LSU is 4-0 against the spread in their last four home games, 4-1 against the spread against the SEC, and 8-3 against the spread following a loss. Tennessee is 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games overall, 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 road games, and 4-1 against the spread following a win. The underdog has covered in six of the last seven meetings of these two.
Tennessee has been rolling of late and this one should be a nail biter where getting the point may work.
Pick
Tennesee Volunteers +1 LSU Tigers
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New Orleans Hornets vs. Chicago Bulls
The New Orleans Hornets conclude their six game road trip tonight as they battle the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are -13.5 point favorites over the Hornets with an over/under point total set at 179.
Despite injuries to their two leading scorers in Derrick Rose (10 games missed) and Luol Deng (seven games missed), the 27-8 Bulls come out of the All-Star break only a half game back of the Eastern Conference leading Miami Heat. New Orleans, who have only won the eight games for the season, were playing their best basketball of the season heading into the break and half of their wins have come in the last six games, three of which coming on their current six game road trip which ends tonight.
Despite only six points from the reigning MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls cruised to a comfortable 90-67 victory over the Hornets in their first meeting of the season in New Orleans. Chicago raced out of the gates and dominated the first three quarters, holding a 24 point lead at the start of the final term, despite Rose only playing 22 minutes and adding six points. Carlos Boozer led the way with a game high 18 points, while Chris Kaman paced a New Orleans that struggled to get anything going offensively with 17 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Head to head, the Hornets are 1-6 ATS in the last 7 meetings, while the road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings. The Bulls are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400 and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall, but just 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games as a favorite of 11.0 or greater. The Hornets on the other hand are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games, 13-4 ATS in their last 17 games as a road underdog of 11.0 or greater and 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Most people will look at the box score from the first meeting and automatically assume the same will happen tonight, but I highly doubt it. It’s quite remarkable how good the Hornets have been on their current road trip with all of the injuries they have had to deal with. Not only have they beaten the likes of Milwaukee, New York and Cleveland, but they took Indiana to overtime while managing to come back and get the cover against Oklahoma City. Look for New Orleans to stay competitive and finish their road trip off on a high note tonight.
Pick
New Orleans Hornets +13.5 Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets vs. Toronto Raptors
The Houston Rockets look to continue their strong play as they host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. The Rockets are -9.5 point favorites over the Raptors with an over/under point total set at 190.
After their slow start to the season, the Rockets really picked things up heading to the All-Star break as they currently sit tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers with a 20-14 record. Houston has been particularly strong at home this season as they have won 14 of a possible 18 matches and come into tonight’s game riding a four game winning streak at the Toyota Center.
The same can’t be said for the Raptors who struggled through the first half of the season. Although it’s no surprise to anyone, Toronto has won only the 10 games to date and it hasn’t helped that their best player in Andrea Bargnani has missed most of the season so far. The Raptors come into tonight’s game off a home win over Detroit, but they have only won two of their last nine overall.
Head to head, the Raptors are 0-3-1 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Houston, while the home team is 7-0-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings. The Rockets are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400, 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5 and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games. The Raptors on the other hand are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games and 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall, but just 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5.
The Rockets have quietly been one of the better teams in the league since their slow start as they have won 18 out of their last 25 games overall. It wasn’t bad enough that Toronto had only won two of their last nine overall, but seven of them were at home, just illustrating how much they struggled. Toronto can still be a dangerous team on any given night, but I’m playing it safe and going with the proven team here
Pick
Houston Rockets -9.5 Toronto Raptors
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Indiana Hoosiers vs. Michigan St. Spartans
The Indiana Hoosiers and the Michigan State Spartans battle it out on Tuesday in Big Ten college basketball action. The Spartans are -2 point favorites over the Hoosiers with an over/under point total set at 139.
The Indiana Hoosiers are closing out their regular season schedule as Tom Crean’s team plays the first of two home games. IU is 9-7 in the Big Ten, 16-1 at home this season, tied for fifth place in the conference standings, and 4-4 against teams ranked in the top 25. Cody Zeller is averaging 15.4 points and 6.5 rebounds, Christian Watford is averaging 11.6 points and 5.3 rebounds, and Victor Oladipo and Jordan Hulls are averaging 11.2 points each. As a team Indiana is averaging 77.6 points and they are shooting 49 percent while defensively they are allowing 65.4 points and their opponents are averaging 42.2 percent. The Hoosiers have won five out of their last six games and should be hitting the post season with plenty of momentum.
The Michigan State Spartans just need one win in their last two games to clinch the Big Ten title but Tom Izzo’s team is thinking bigger like a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State is 13-3 in the Big 10, 7-3 on the road this season, have a two game lead in the conference standings, and they are 6-3 against teams ranked in the top 25. Draymond Green is averaging 15.6 points and 10.3 rebounds, Keith Appling is averaging 11.7 points, and Branden Dawson is averaging 8.7 points. As a team Michigan State is averaging 72.5 points and they are shooting 47.6 percent while defensively they are allowing 57.8 points and their opponents shoot 37.2 percent. MSU has been pounding the glass, passing, and playing defense, all things that have worked to create winning teams for many years.
Indiana is 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 home games, 3-7 against the spread following a win, and 1-4 against the spread in their last five home games against a team with a winning road record. Michigan State is 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games overall, 4-1 against the spread following a cover, and 4-1 against the spread against a team with a winning record. The home team has covered in 15 of the last 18 meetings of these two.
The total here looks just a little too high and I am going to go with under.
Pick
Under 139
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DePaul Blue Demons vs. West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers and the DePaul Blue Demons battle it out on Tuesday Night in Big East college basketball action. The Mountaineers are -14 point favorites over the Blue Demons with an over/under point total set at 149.5.
It’s desperate times for the West Virginia Mountaineers as Bob Huggins team needs to string together wins to end the season and then in the Big East Tournament to seal a place in the NCAA Tournament. WVU is 7-9 in the Big East, 10-5 at home this season, and they are tied for ninth place in the conference standings. Kevin Jones is averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds, Darryl Bryant is averaging 16.8 points, and Deniz Kilicli is averaging 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds. As a team West Virginia is averaging 71.8 points and they are shooting 44.7 percent while defensively they are allowing 66.4 points and their opponents are shooting 44.6 percent. The Mountaineers have lost seven of their last nine games but they will be pressing as it will be Senior Day in Morgantown.
The DePaul Blue Demons have lost eight games in a row and Oliver Purnell’s team is simply going through the motions of finishing out the year. DePaul is 2-14 in the Big East, 3-7 on the road this season, and they are in 16th and last place in the conference standings. Cleveland Melvin is averaging 17.4 points and 7.2 rebounds, Brandon Young is averaging 14.8 points and 4.8 assists, and Jeremiah Kelly is averaging 8.8 points. As a team the Blue Demons are averaging 73.9 points and they are shooting 44 percent while defensively they are allowing 76.7 points and their opponents are shooting 48 percent. While things looked to be getter better at DePaul this year it ended up being the same old story.
West Virginia is 1-4 against the spread following a loss, 1-6 against the spread in their last seven games overall, and 0-5 against the spread in their last five home games. DePaul is 5-1 against the spread following a game which they didn’t cover, 6-14-1 against the spread in their last 21 Big East games, 9-20 against the spread in their last 29 Tuesday games. The underdog has covered four in a row in this series.
Both of these teams have been down in the dumps and while it’s tough to like a team that loses as much as DePaul with the points they are the play here.
Pick
DePaul Blue Demons +14 West Virginia Mountaineers
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Georgetown Hoyas vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Georgetown Hoyas and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off for a Monday Night battle on the hardwood between two nationally ranked Big East teams. The Hoyas are -6.5 point favorites over the Fighting Irish with an over/under point total set at 118.5.
With less than a week to go in the regular season the Georgetown Hoyas are looking like a two or three seed in the NCAA Tournament as John Thompson III’s team has been playing consistent basketball all season long. Georgetown is 11-5 in the Big East, 14-1 at home this season, in fourth place in the conference standings, and 2-2 against teams ranked in the top 25. Jason Clark is averaging 14.5 points and 4.1 rebounds, Hollis Thompson is averaging 13.1 points and 5.5 rebounds, and Henry Sims is averaging 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. As a team the Hoyas are averaging 69.6 points and they are shooting 46.2 percent while defensively they are allowing 58.7 points and their opponents are shooting 38.6 percent. Georgetown hasn’t won them all or even come close but they have shown that everytime they take the court they have a very good chance to win and a team like this can be very dangerous in March.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were on a tear as Mike Brey’s team had won nine games in a row but that all came to a screeching halt on Saturday as they were done in by the lowly St. John’s Red Storm in a game they never looked like they had a chance. ND is 12-4 in the Big East, 5-4 on the road this year, in third place in the conference standings, and they are 3-2 against teams ranked in the top 25. Jerian Grant is averaging 12.7 points and 4.9 assists, Eric Atkins is averaing 12.7 points and 4.0 assists, and Jack Cooley is averaging 12.4 points and 9.2 rebounds. As a team the Irish are averaging 68 points and they are shooting 43.7 percent while defensively they are allowing 61.6 points and their opponents are shooting 40.6 percent. Notre Dame will need to regroup in a hurry as they play their second of back to back road games.
Georgetown is 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games overall, 5-2 against the spread in their lst seven home games against a team with a losing road record, and 3-8 against the spread against a team with a winning record. Notre Dame is 4-1 against the spread in their last five road games, 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 Big East games, and 6-0 against the spread against a team with a winning record. The underdog is 11-5-1 against the spread in the last 17 meetings of these two.
With the total set at 118.5 it is just too aggressively low and the better pick is the over
Pick
Over 118.5
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High Point Panthers vs. Gardner-Webb Bulldogs
The High Point Panthers welcome the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs to the Millis Athletic Center to open the Big South playoffs. The Bulldogs come in riding back to back defeats after a 68-62 loss to Presbyterian while the Panthers upended Campbell 98-60. The Bulldogs are -6 point favorites over the Panthers with an over/under point total set at 133.
What do we know about Gardner-Webb? For starters, they began the conference schedule at 4-2 and looked like a competitive Big South club but the wheels fell off with the Bulldogs dropping 10 of 13 to lock up the tenth spot in the conference at 6-12. A dismal finish after a promising start is disappointing enough but a close examination of the final 13 contests tells of a team that certainly lost plenty of games but all but three were decided by six points or less.
The Bulldogs have been outscored 69-66 on the year but have been far more competitive than their record states. What GW does have going for them is a rather deep rotation that goes as many as nine deep but this is the very definition of score by committee with Tashan Newsome as the only double digit scorer at 12 points and seven rebounds with eight others scoring between five and ten points.
High Point is a team that tried to get hot in the last month of the season but didn’t quite get hot enough or the season ran out on them as the Panthers 5-3 down the stretch but all three defeats were by seven points or less. That couldn’t make up for the five consecutive defeats leading up to their mini hot run that insured that HP would finish in the middle of the pack at 8-10 in a four way tie for sixth. High Point is one of several dangerous offensive teams in the conference but they received as much as they gave by barely outscoring the opposition 72-70 on the year. Consistency has been an enemy at both ends of the court but especially on a defense that was competitive one night only to look lost on another. The Panthers success will likely depend if leading scorers Nick Barbour (20.8 ppg) and Shay Shine (15.5 ppg) can keep filling the cylinder.
High Point will try to speed things up and Gardner-Webb might not be able to stop them but on the flip side the Panthers expertise is not defense either. These teams split a pair of four point decisions and the tendency of the Bulldogs to keep things close has me looking at the points.
Pick
Gardner-Webb Bulldogs +6 High Point Panthers
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