Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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02-14-18 | Clemson v. Florida State -4.5 | Top | 79-81 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 59 m | Show |
The set-up: No. 11 Clemson aims for its fifth consecutive victory when it visits Florida State on Wednesday. The Tigers, coming off a 17-16 season (6-12 in ACC), sit 20-4 overall and 9-3 in ACC play. In fact, Clemson is just one win shy of tying the program record for ACC victories in a single season. The 17-8 Florida State Seminoles (6-7 in ACC) have lost two straight and three of their last four. The Seminoles lost 84-69 at Notre Dame on Saturday, just three days after pushing now top-ranked Virginia to the brink in a 59-55 defeat. Clemson: The Tigers are coming off a 72-48 rout of Pittsburgh on Thursday that clinched their third 20-win season under coach Brad Brownell. Clemson has adjusted well to the loss of 6-8 power forward Donte Grantham (14.2 & 6.9) to a season-ending knee injury, relying more on its backcourt for scoring. Guards Marcquise Reed (15.4 & 4.7), Gabe DeVoe (13.5 & 4.6), and Shelton Mitchell (12.0 & 3.9 APG) all are capable scorers. DeVoe drained seven three-pointers in a 25-point performance against Pittsburgh, and the Tigers have made 10 or more from beyond the arc in four straight games for the first time since 1983. With Grantham out, the frontcourt 'load' falls on the 6-9 Thomas (10.3 & 7.5), Florida State: Like Clemson, FSU relies on its backcourt. The duo of Terance Mann (14.5 & 5.9) and Braian Angola (13.4 & 4.2) are the team's top-two scorers plus both present matchup problems at 6-6. The Seminoles match up much better with the Tigers now that Grantham is out of the picture with the 6-8 Cofer (13.2 & 5.4), 7-4 center Christ Koumadje (8.6 & 5.4) and the 6-9 Kabaengele (7.1 & 4.8) giving Thomas likely more than he can handle up front. The pick: Clemson is heading to the final stretch of its regular season and is a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, FSU (which opened 11-1) is now a "bubble team" and could sure use a win here. FSU averages 82.9 PPG (27th) on the season and is 10-2 SU at home, where it averages 88.2 PPG. Clemson has lost three straight games to FSU and is just 5-11 under head coach Brad Brownell against Florida State, including 2-5 in games played in Tallahassee. Make Florida State a 10* play. |
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02-13-18 | Michigan State v. Minnesota +10.5 | Top | 87-57 | Loss | -106 | 13 h 29 m | Show |
The set-up: The Spartans edged Purdue on Saturday for their eighth straight victory, pulling them into a second-place tie with the Boilermakers in the Big Ten at 12-2 (Ohio State leads at 13-1). Michigan State is 24-3 overall and Monday captured the top spot in the Coaches' Poll, while ranking second in teh AP poll to No. 1 Virginia. The Spartans will travel to Williams Arena to taking on the 14-13 Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers have been far from 'golden' these days, as they limp in on a seven-game slide, after suffering an 80-56 blowout loss at Indiana on Friday. Michigan State: The Spartans own a dynamic starting-five, led by 6-7 swingman Bridges (17.8 & 7.1) He's joined up front by the 6-8 Ward (13.1 & 7.4) and 6-11 freshman Jackson (11.0 & 6.1) plus in the backcourt by 6-5 guard Langford (12.7) and PG Winston (12.1 & 7.1 APG). That said, Izzo has been quick to sit his starters when they've been in early foul trouble this season and the Spartans' depth has been instrumental in rewarding him to stick with that strategy. With freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. having a hard time with fouls against Purdue, senior forward Gavin Schilling showed why the Michigan State bench is considered one of the best in the country, not only for his 3-for-3 shooting but more for his seven rebounds and defense of Boilermakers center Isaac Haas down the stretch. The defense of Schilling, Tum Tum Nairn and Matt McQuaid off the bench gives the Spartans another dimension when Izzo goes to his reserves, and all have shown the ability to come through on both ends of the floor in crunch time. This unit is one of Izzo's best-ever offensive teams, averaging 83.1 PPG (25th) on 51.6% shooting (2nd).. Minnesota: Injuries have been devastating to the Golden Gophers this season, as Amir Coffey (14.0 & 5.1) and Dupree McBrayer (9.5) are currently out. Then there is the indefinite suspension of center Reggie Lynch (10.1 & 8.1), with the Gophers going 1-10 in the games he's missed. Pitino has been to go with freshman guard Isaiah Washington, 6-8 senior Davonte Fitzgerald and 6-7 sophomore Michael Hurt in the starting lineup, with that trio averaging only 14.6 points combined. Forward Jordan Murphy (17.4 & 11.6) has been the most consistent player for Minnesota, while guard Nate Mason is also dangerous, averaging 16.5-3.9-4.2. The pick: Michigan State is on a roll but reaching No. 1 (at least in the Coaches' poll), could set-up a letdown situation, especially with the Spartans coming off their hard fought win over Purdue over the weekend. The home dog barks in this one. Make Minnesota 10* play. |
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02-13-18 | Heat +7.5 v. Raptors | Top | 112-115 | Win | 100 | 12 h 44 m | Show |
analysis soon |
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02-13-18 | Texas A&M +1.5 v. Missouri | Top | 58-62 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 39 m | Show |
The set-up: Texas A&M posted two wins over ranked opponents last week, winning at Auburn (81-80) and then beat Kentucky, 85-74. The Aggies are now 17-8 (6-6 SEC) and are ranked 21st in Monday's latest AP poll. The Missouri Tigers survived a wild one against visiting Mississippi State on Saturday, registering an 89-85 overtime win after letting a double-digit lead slip away in the final two minutes of regulation. The Tigers’ four-game streak is their longest in conference play since reeling off seven straight Big 12 wins during the 2011-12 season. The run has 17-8 Missouri tied for fourth in the SEC standings (7-5), one game ahead of the Aggies. Texas A&M: The Aggies own one of the SEC’s top frontcourts with the 6-10 Tyler Davis (14.3 & 8.8) and 6-10 Robert Williams (10.8 & 9.6) dominating inside, while 6-9 swingman D.J. Hogg (11.7 & 5.5) creates matchup problems on the wing. Guard Admon Gilder (11.8 & 4.2) is a solid scorer and an excellent defender but the Aggies will be without PG Duane Wilson (9.0 & 4.0 APG) for the remainder of the season, after he aggravated a nagging knee injury in the win over Kentucky. However, reigning SEC Freshman of the Week T.J. Starks (7.9) has averaged 15.2 points in five games since assuming Wilson’s starting role. Missouri: Guard Kassius Robertson (16.6 PPG) has emerged as the Tigers’ clear leader and the graduate transfer from Canisius has earned SEC Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks. Robertson poured in a season-high 27 points at Ole Miss on Tuesday and followed up with 22 against Mississippi State. However, the 6-7 Jordan Barnett (13.6 points, six rebounds) is the team’s only other double-digit scorer. That said,6-7 senior Kevin Puryear (9.2) plus a pair of 6-11 freshman, Jontay Porter (8.8 & 6.5) and Jeremiah Tilmon (8.1 & 4.0), give the Tigers a deep and talented frontcourt. The pick: Missouri has recorded nine more victories than it had all last season, the third-largest improvement in the nation behind North Carolina A&T (12) and UC Santa Barbara (13). However, A&M will be a severe test. After a month and a half absence from the AP top-25, Texas A&M jumped back into the rankings this week at No. 21 on the strength of a four-game win streak. The fact is, the Tigers will be seeking to snap a seven-game Texas A&M winning streak in the series and to avenge a 60-49 loss to the Aggies in College Station on Jan. 20. Not happening. Make Texas A&M an 8* play. |
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02-12-18 | Clippers v. Nets +4.5 | Top | 114-101 | Loss | -105 | 21 h 38 m | Show |
The set-up: The Los Angeles Clippers won their "trade-revenge" game at Detroit on Friday in Detroit (emotional win over former teammate Blake Griffin) but then tired down the stretch on Saturday in the second night of a back-to-back. LA's three-game winning streak ended with a 112-98 loss at the Philadelphia 76ers, after the Clippers had pulled within 95-93 in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles (28-26) currently sits one-half game behind New Orleans. The Clippers remain slightly out of eighth place because while New Orleans overcame blowing a 28-point lead to get a 139-129 double-overtime win at Brooklyn Saturday, they lost at Philadelphia on Saturday. As for those Nets, the losses are starting to pile up for Brooklyn. Since earning a 116-108 home win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 31, the Nets have gone winless with losses to the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons and Saturday's wild loss to the Pelicans. At 19-38, teh Nets are only one game up on the Eastern Conference-worst Atlanta Hawks. LA Clippers: Tobias Harris (18.0 & 6.3) and Avery Bradley (8.5 & 5,3 plus excellent perimeter defense) are providing a spark to their new team (over four games) but the return of small forward Danilo Gallinari is another key reason the team is staying in the playoff hunt despite trading Griffin. Gallinari (15.8 & 4.8) played in just two games between Nov. 5 and Jan. 28 while dealing with a glute tear but isn't having any trouble adjusting in five games since returning to the lineup. He is averaging 21 points on 52.2 percent shooting (43.3 percent from beyond the arc) and proved himself in game shape by scoring 22 points while logging 40 minutes on Saturday. Let's also not forget center DeAndre Jordan (11.3 & 15.0), who is averaging 17.5 rebounds over the last six games (including 21 at Philadelphia) or teh career season Low Williams is having (23.3 & 5.3 APG). Brooklyn: The Nets are losers of five in a row and nine of 10, after Saturday's double overtime home loss. Brooklyn was down 28 points to the Pelicans on Saturday before coming back to force overtime. "It's just too many times that we've gotten in a big hole," Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "I loved the comeback, I loved our spirit in the second half, how competitive we are. I'm just mystified how the first half was completely different. We've talked about this before. You just can't get in a hole down 28 against a very good team." The Nets have played 15 games where they faced a deficit of at least 20 points this season. Five of those instances have occurred in this 10-game stretch. In those five games where the Nets have fallen behind by 20 or more, they have been outscored by a 163-92 margin in the first quarter. Saturday was another instance as the Nets were outscored 34-22 in the opening 12 minutes, trailed by 28 before making a furious comeback. Brooklyn is allowing 112.7 points during its five-game losing streak on 49.0 percent shooting and 41.3 percent from three-point range The pick: It seems clear that LA owner Steve Ballmer isn’t in all-out tank mode just yet. He didn't move DeAndre Jordan and gave a nice contract extension to Lou Williams. Yes, the Nets are going nowhere but LA is just 12-14 SU on the road (not good news when being installed as a road favorite) plus the Nets are 15-13 ATS at home and since right after Christmas, are 14-9 (61%) ATS in all games. Home dog barks here. Make Brooklyn a 10* play. |
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02-12-18 | Notre Dame +9.5 v. North Carolina | Top | 66-83 | Loss | -105 | 20 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: It's hardly been a "walk in the park" for the North Carolina Tar Heels, the defending national champs. The 21st-ranked Tar Heels (19-7 / 8-5 ACC) will play their third game in five days, after knocking off No. 9 Duke on Thursday and following that up with a furious 96-89 triumph at North Carolina State on Saturday. North Carolina will try to complete the trifecta when Notre Dame visits the Smith Center on Monday night. 15-10 Notre Dame (5-7 ACC) has rebounded from a seven-game losing streak with back-to-back home wins over Boston College and Florida State. Notre Dame: The return of senior PG Matt Farrell from an ankle injury for the past three games has been a big boost for the Fighting Irish. Farrell poured in a career-best 28 points Saturday and enters averaging a team-high 16.5 PPG (as well as a team high 5.2 APG), with preseason All-American Bonzie Colson (21.4 & 10.4) still sidelined (missed last 11 games). Junior guard Rex Pflueger (9.1-4.3-3.2) and also had a career-high total with 19. Senior guard Gibbs (16.3) also added 19 points in the win over FSU. Farrell is averaging 21 points and has drained 15-of-31 from three-point range in three games since a stretch in which he missed five of seven contests with an ankle injury. “We take our lead from (Farrell) - he’s been the warrior for us,” Irish head coach Mike Brey told reporters after his team shot almost 50 percent from the floor against Florida State and drained 10 shots from behind the arc. Sophomore guard T.J. Gibbs has also played a big role for Notre Dame while averaging 21.3 points over the last six contests. North Carolina: The 6-8 Maye (18.7 & 10.5) leads in scoring and rebounding, with a trio of guards chipping in double figures. Berry (17.4-3.6-3.1) tops that trio, followed by Johnson (13.1 & 4.8) and Williams (11.5). The Tar Heels shot 78.1 percent from the floor in the second half Saturday at North Carolina State, marking the highest rate in a half with Williams as the coach. Maye had quite a bit to do with it by racking up a career-high 33 points (27 in the second half) and adding 17 rebounds. Maye is averaging 24.7 points over the last three games, after scoring a season-low four against Clemson. Senior swingman Theo Pinson (8.7-6.0-4.5) told reporters after Maye’s effort Saturday: “I mean, that was a performance.” Pinson also came through in Saturday’s win with 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting with seven assists after connecting on 3-of-13 from the field in his previous three outings. Berry has averaged 19 points over the last four games. The pick: This is North Carolina's third game in five days, a grueling stretch that has included victories against two huge neighboring rivals. "Got to be ready," coach Roy Williams said, figuring there was no use bemoaning the assigned schedule. However, it's difficult to ignore that this is the first time North Carolina has had three ACC regular-season games scheduled in a five-day period since 1980 (note: the Tar Heels are the only ACC team with such a setup on the schedule this season). My bet says that the Irish give the Tar Heels "all they want" in this brutal scheduling spot for the defending champs. Make Notre Dame a 10* play. |
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02-11-18 | Cincinnati v. SMU +8 | Top | 76-51 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 38 m | Show |
The set-up: No. 6 Cincinnati has won 15 straight, opening 11-0 in the AAC and standing at 22-2, overall. With just seven games to go in league play, Cincinnati is well on its way to winning its first outright AAC regular season championship (the Bearcats, who shared the 2014 crown with Louisville), as Cincy's two closest challengers are 9-3 Wichita State and 8-3 Hosuton. Sunday, it's a road game at injury-ravaged SMU, which is 15-9 overall, including 5-6 in the AAC. The Mustangs are down to seven available scholarship players with junior guard Jarrey Foster (knee), who is second in scoring (13.2 points per game), and freshman forward Everett Ray (foot) both sidelined with season-ending injuries. Junior guard Shake Milton, the preseason AAC player of the year who is averaging 18.0-4.7-4.4 this season, is questionable with a left-hand injury that has forced him to miss the last two games. Cincinnati: After this game, the Bearcats will play the two teams right behind them, at Houston and home vs. Wichita State, next Thursday and Sunday. Few teams play better defense nationally year-in and year-out than the Bearcats who rank second in scoring defense (56.1 PPG) and first field-goal percentage defense (36.3%) here in the 2017-18 season. They have held three of their last five opponents to 48 points or fewer. With that kind of D, the team's 76.8 PPG on offense is more than enough. Four players average in double figures, led by junior swingman Jacob Evans (13.7), who is shooting 41.1 percent from 3-point range, and 6-8 senior forward Gary Clark (12.9), who also leads the team in rebounding (8.9). Versatile senior forward Kyle Washington (11.3 & 5.5) and reigning AAC co-Sixth Man of the Year Jarron Cumberland (10.7), round out the players in double figures. SMU: Milton is one of 13 players nationally averaging 18 points, four rebounds and four assists per games, so his loss would be a big one for the Mustangs. "It really is day-to-day, but it could be a week and a half," head coach Tim Jankovich told 247Sports.com. "He's slowly getting better, but I don't know when it's going to be good, where he's good to play and be effective." With Milton and Foster out, junior guard Jahmal McMurray, who is third in scoring (12.1) and shooting 43.2 percent from three-point range, has stepped up to average 19.7 points over the last three games while three other Mustangs, guard Ben Emelogu II (10.7 & 5.0), the 6-9 Ethan Chargois (10.3 & 4.7) and guard Jimmy Whitt (10.3 & 5.2), average in double figures. The pick: "No matter if Shake Milton plays or not, they've still been an unbelievable home team in the last four or five years," Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin told Cincinnati.com. "We've got to be ready to take their best shot, ready for a hostile environment." He knows of what he speaks. SMU is 13-1 at Moody Coliseum this season and 81-5 there since the 2013-14 season. Note that Cincy comes into this contest a fairly modest 12-8-1 ATS. We've already seen Purdue's 19-game win streak end this week with TWO straight losses, then St Mary's 19-game winning streak ended abruptly last night in a 78-65 home loss to Gonzaga while earlier on Saturday, Virginia's 15-game winning streak came to an end with a one-point OT loss to Va. Tech. Is Cincy's 15-game streak next? I say make SMU a 10* play. |
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02-11-18 | Pistons -3.5 v. Hawks | Top | 115-118 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: Blake Griffin scored 19 points in Friday’s 108-95 home defeat against the Los Angeles Clippers, ending Detroit’s five-game winning streak, the final four of those victories coming after the Pistons had acquired Griffin from Los Angeles in a six-player deal Jan. 29. “I didn’t play the way I wanted to,” Griffin told reporters after shooting 7-for-19 from the floor and then leaving the court at game’s end without shaking hands with any of his former teammates. “We had a good five-game run and we get back to work tomorrow.” Detroit's and Griffin's "work" begins with a visit to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon. While the 27-27 Pistons enter Sunday just 1 1/2 games out of the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, the 17-39 Hawks own the NBA’s worst record. Think it's safe to say that Atlanta's run of 10 consecutive playoff appearances (second-longest active NBA streak to only the Spurs) will end in this season? Detroit: Griffin has averaged 21 points and 7.8 rebounds since joining Detroit and his line for the season is an imprerssive22.4-7.9-5.5. Center Andre Drummond leads the NBA in rebounding at 15.6 per contest (adds 15.0 PPG) and has raised his production of late, averaging 18.1 points with 18.4 rebounds over his past nine games. The Pistons have forced 10 or more turnovers in 53 of their 54 games, including 41 consecutive contests, which is the longest streak in the NBA this season. The Pistons are also on pace to make 877 three-pointers this season, which would surpass the franchise record of 740 set in 2015-16. Atlanta: The Hawks pushed the Cavs for 2 1/2 quarters Friday at home before succumbing 123-107, falling to 3-7 in their past 10 games. PG Dennis Schroder leads the team in scoring (19.5) and assists (6.3) but behind him, the wealth is spread around, as six players contribute between 9.8 and 13.0 PPG (note: Marco Belinelli, who has averaged 11.4 points and shot 92.7 percent from the free-throw line in 52 games, agreed to a contract buyout Friday). Tyler Dorsey (a rookie from Oregon), continues producing as his role expands. He is averaging only 4.7 PPG on the season but he's scored in double figures for three consecutive games for the first time in his career, averaging 11.7 points and 3.7 assists in that span. The Hawks are tied for first in the NBA in forcing turnovers, as opponents average 15.3 miscues per contest, but that hasn't translated into very many wins. The pick: The Pistons are 9-16 away from Detroit and have won just one of their past nine road games. However, Griffin is expected to change that dynamic. Playing at Atlanta is hardly a daunting task this season, as the Hawks are just 12-17 SU at home. Atlanta was 11-1 at Philips Arena against Detroit over a seven-season stretch before the teams split two games in Atlanta each of the past two years. The Pistons have had a day to shake off that "trade-revenge" loss against the Clippers and they have won four of the last five against the Hawks, including the first two games of the season series against this year (111-104 & 105-91). They have gotten 14 points and 19.5 rebounds per game from Drummond in those two wins and now the Pistons have added Griffin. Make Detroit a 10* play. |
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02-10-18 | USC v. Arizona -5.5 | Top | 67-81 | Win | 100 | 23 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: The 13th-ranked Arizona Wildcats are 19-6, including 9-3 in Pac 12 play to lead the conference. They welcome USC to the McKale Center Saturday night, with the Trojans coming in 17-8 overall and 8-4 in league play (USC is tied with UCLA for second-place). Washington ended the Wildcats’ seven-game winning streak with a buzzer-beating victory last Saturday and then Arizona had few answers for UCLA's offense in Thursday’s 82-74 loss (that's two losses in a row!). While UCLA was taking care of Arizona on Thursday, USC missed an opportunity to move into a first-place tie with an 80-78 loss at Arizona State. USC: The Trojans have four players averaging in double figures, led by the 6-11 Chimezie Metu at 15.7 PPG. He adds a team-high 7.4 RPG and has 41 blocks. The 6-10 Bennie Boatwright (14.6 & 6.5) had been limited by a foot infection over the past two weeks but scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench against the Sun Devils. The team’s strong interior also includes the 6-11 Nick Rakocevic (7.8 & 5.3), who has averaged 16.5 points on 76.4 percent shooting over his last two games. Guards McLaughlin (12.1 & 7.6 APG) and Stewart (11.1) round out the double digit scorers with fellow guard Mathews (9.4) just missing. Arizona; Junior guard Allonzo Trier had 17 points against the Bruins, while 7-1 freshman Deandre Ayton added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Trier leads in scoring a 19.8 PPG and Ayton is second (19.5), while leading in rebounding at 10.8. Guard Rawle Alkins (13.2) is considered the glue of the Wildcats but the sophomore has gone 4-of-20 from the floor in his last two games, including 1-of-8 from three-point range. The pick: After back-to-back losses, I expect Arizona to rebound strongly in this one. USC's two-point loss at Arizona State should come as no surprise, as the Trojans have been swept in their last five trips to face the Arizona schools (note: Arizona is 39-10 all-time in Tucson against USC). Make that their last six trips. Lay the points and make Arizona an 8* play. |
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02-10-18 | Tennessee -2.5 v. Alabama | Top | 50-78 | Loss | -103 | 19 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: The No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers are 18-5 (8-3 SEC) on the season and will head to Tuscaloosa on a six-game winning streak to take on the 15-9 Alabama Crimson Tide (6-5 SEC). Tuesday's 61-59 win at Kentucky vaulted the Vols into second-place in the SEC, while the Crimson Tide are badly in need of a confidence boost after dropping three of their past five contests, the latest a 67-63 setback Tuesday at Mississippi State (Alabama is in a four-way tie for 4th, meaning a loss or two would see them drop dramatically). Tennessee: Lamonte Turner continues to make the most of his minutes off the bench, as he made the go-ahead three-pointer Tuesday at Kentucky. He finished with a game-high 16 points and despite not having started a single game, is the team’s third-leading scorer at 11.4 PPG. 6-7 sophomore forward Grant Williams leads Tennessee in scoring at 15.9 PPG (also adds 6.1 RPG) and 6-5 small forwards adds 12.5 PPG plus a team-high 6.3 RPG. Alabama: Freshman guard Collin Sexton enters the weekend third in the SEC in scoring at 18.6 PPG. Three others join him in double digits, 6-9 forward Hall (10.8 & 7.) plus giards Petty (10.7) and Ingram (10.3 & 6.0). Defense has kept Alabama in the SEC hunt, as the the Crimson Tide have allowed 65.7 points PPG while holding opponents to 39.8 percent shooting from the floor in league games (No. 1 in the conference in both categories). The pick: Speaking of defense, Tennessee has allowed just 58.5 PPG during its five-game SEC winning streak (last six opponents overall, have all been held to 63 points or fewer). For the season, the Volunteers are averaging 77.0 PPG, the school’s highest mark since scoring 78.4 points per game in 2008-09. That's a sweet combo for Rick Barnes' team. The Vols are for real and put Alabama in its place in this one. Make Tennessee an 8* play. |
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02-10-18 | Miami-FL -3 v. Boston College | Top | 70-72 | Loss | -106 | 15 h 2 m | Show |
The set-up: No. 25 Miami is 18-5 on the season (7-4 in ACC) and heads to Boston College having won three straight ACC victories for the first time all season, after an 87-81 triumph over Wake Forest on Wednesday. Making its recent surge more impressive is that Miami's Bruce Brown Jr. (11.4 & 4.0 APG) has missed the last three games due to foot surgery. Boston College (14-10 / 4-7 ACC) has lost four of its last five. Miami: The Hurricanes have rallied around the injury to Brown, with different players stepping up each night to fill the void, as Brown is the team's third-leading scorer, its top assist man and its best defender. The 6-11 Huell (12.8 & 6.9) and freshman guard Walker (11.5) are Miami's only other double digit scorers but four others contribute between 8.0 and 9.5 PPG. Case is point, the Hurricanes had five or more players score at least 10 points for the sixth time this season against Wake Forest. Senior guard Newton (8.6) finally seems to be rounding into form with 16 points, his second straight double-digit scoring game. Boston College: The Eagles' 96-85 Wednesday loss to Notre Dame pushed them further away from the NCAA Tournament picture, although guard Jerome Robinson 20.1-3.6-3.3() had a performance to remember with 46 points. It was the highest total by an ACC player since another Eagle, Tyrese Rice, matched that total on March 1, 2008. The Eagles have featured the same starting lineup for all 11 of their ACC games and Robinson has been a monster as the top scoring guard (25.2 in ACC action) in the conference, scoring in double figures in 21 straight games, with 20 or more points 11 times following his 46-point explosion. Sophomore guard Ky Bowman (16.6-7.0-5.0) and fellow guard Chatman (13.1) are the only others joining Robinson in double digits, after senior forward Hawkins (12.4 & 9.1) was lost for the season after just eight games. The pick: Boston College's four ACC wins are two more than it recorded last season and four more than the winless year before that. BC owns a one-game advantage over Miami overall in the all-time series (24-23) but that hardly seems relevant considering the Hurricanes have won the last 12 meetings! Miami did not commit a turnover in the final 15:20 of its win over Wake Forest and it's that kind of play that will "win the day" in this contest. Make Miami a 10* play. |
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02-10-18 | Marquette v. St. John's | Top | 78-86 | Loss | -106 | 13 h 2 m | Show |
The set-up: The 14-10 Marquette Golden Eagles have lost six of their last nine games and visit Carnesecca Arena in Queens at just 5-7 in Big East play. The host St. John's Red Storm are looking to get back to .500 with a win, as they are 12-13 overall and a pathetic 1-11 in the Big East. However, that lone conference win came just this past Wednesday when the Red Storm shocked No. 1 Villanova 79-75, as a 16 1/2-point dog. That major upset came just four days after the Red Storm upset then-No. 4 Duke (at plus-10.5) last Saturday, 81-77. As Vince Lombardi famously once said, "What the hell is going on out there?" Marquette: The Golden Eagles are a high-scoring squad averaging 81.9 PPG (33rd) on 47.2 percent shooting (56th) but the team allows 77.8 PPG (302nd) on 47.5% shooting (317th). A trio of guards are the core of Marquette's team, Markus Howard (22.0), Andrew Rowsey (18.8 & 4.2 APG) and Sam Hauser (14.1 & 5.9). Marquette had dropped four in a row before knocking off Seton Hall 88-85 on the road this past Wednesday. The Pirates will play four of their remaining six regular-season games on the road. "We have a group that really wants to win," Marquette head coach Steve Wojciechowski told reporters. "What we're trying to learn and develop is doing what it takes to win. And that's all of us together. I thought (against Seton Hall) we did the things that it took to win a game against an outstanding team on their home floor." St. John's: There are not many schools in the nation who are 1-11 in conference play and have as much talent as the Red Storm. Before back-to-back major upsets of Duke and Villanova, the Red Storm took now-No. 5 Xavier right to the wire in a 73-68 loss. After that game, Xavier head coach Chris Mack told reporters. "That might be the best 0-11 team I've ever seen anywhere in a conference. Period." As noted, St. John's had dropped 11 straight games to open Big East play before stepping out of conference last Saturday and stunning Duke. The Red Storm then proved that was no fluke four days later, when they came back into conference play with a trip to No. 1 Villanova and came away with a second straight four-point win. St John's doesn't score like Marquette (72.9 PPG) but also allows a six-plus PPG fewer (71.3 per). Despite losing guard LoVett (14.9) after just seven games, the Red Storm still own a perimeter group to match up with the Golden Eagles. The trio of Ponds (20.5-5.2-4.7), Simon (11.2-7.3-5.0) and Ahmed (11.8 & 4.6) is quite formidable. Just ask Duke and 'Nova. The pick: St. John's is better than its record but off wins over Duke and Villanova, I just can't play them here. After all, before winning last Saturday against Duke in Madison Square Garden (considered a home game for the Red Storm), St John's had lost six consecutive home contests. Make Marquette an 8* play. |
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02-09-18 | Princeton v. Harvard -1.5 | Top | 51-66 | Win | 100 | 22 h 54 m | Show |
The set-up: The Princeton Tigers have won six of their last nine games to inch over .500 at 11-10 on the season. Princeton will visit Harvard on Friday night, which would need a win over the Tigers to level its record at .500, as the the Crimson are 10-11, after winning four of their last five. However, while Princeton is 3-3 in Ivy League play, Harvard is 5-1, one game back of 6-0 Penn. Princeton: The Tigers have a guard trio leading the way in both scoring and rebounding. Devin Cannady is averaging 18 points and 5.1 rebounds, Myles Stephens is averaging 14.5 & 6.1 and Amir Bell checks in at 10.5 & 5.4. Princeton averages 73.3 PPG and allows about the same at 70.3. Harvard: The Crimson also have a trio of double digit scorers, all of whom are sophomores. Bryce Aiken(14.1) is thetetam's top backcourt player but the other two top performers play in the frontcourt. The 6-7 Towns (15.6 & 5.2) is the team's leading scorer and the 6-9 Lewis (11.7 & 5.3) barely edges Towns as the top rebounder. Harvard scores less than Princeton at 65.6 PPG but also allows fewer points at 67.2. The pick: Some (most?) view Princeton as the better team but as Bill Parcells once said, "You are who your record says you are." Harvard is 5-1 in Ivy play and Princeton just 3-3. At this near pick-em price on Harvrad's home floor (the Lavietes Pavilion), I'll make Harvard the 10* play. |
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02-08-18 | Hornets v. Blazers -4 | Top | 103-109 | Win | 100 | 14 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: The Portland Trail Blazers went 0-3 on a recent three-game road trip that featured stops in Toronto, Boston and Detroit. The Blazers now limp home to the Moda Center at 29-25, tied with the Nuggets' for the West's No. 6 seed (note: both teams are just one game ahead of the Clippers, who are currently the 9th-seed and outside of the playoff cut line). Portland will play three of its next four at home, beginning with tonight's game against Eastern Conference foe, the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets will look to bounce back after watching a three-game winning streak come to an end with a 121-104 setback in Denver on Monday. Charlotte is 23-30 on the season, leaving them four games back of the East's No. 8 seed (76ers). Charlotte: The Hornets allowed the Nuggets to shoot 56.8 percent from the floor and drain make 18 three-pointers on Monday. PG Kemba Walker () again leads the team in scoring and overall, Charlotte does a nice job offensively on the perimeter. Shooting guards Lamb (13.6 & 4.5) and Batum (12.2-4.5-4.7) have lately seen second-year shooting guard Treveon Graham (5.2) emerge as a scoring option, while earning extra playing time over the last four games. Graham scored in double figures in three of the last four contests, matching his total of double-digit scoring outbursts from his first 36 games. Center Dwight Howard (16.0 & 12.6) averages a double-double but once again the question looms, is he making his latest team any better? Portland: The Blazers had scored at least 100 points in 17 straight games before missing the mark against Boston and Detroit to close out the trip. CJ McCollum, who scored 50 points on 18-of-25 shooting in the last home game on Jan. 31, slumped to 14 points on 6-of-15 in Monday's setback while All-Star point guard Damian Lillard went 6-of-21 from three-point range on the trip. Portland can't afford its guard duo to play like that, as Lillard (25.1-4.7-6.6) and McCollum (21.8-3.9-3.2) are the 'heart' of this team. Only center Nurkic (14.2 & 8.2) can be counted on besides that duo to contribute on a regular basis. The pick: The Blazers have been in trade talks over the past couple of weeks but as of Wednesday hadn't pulled the trigger on any deals. The team's two stars, Lillard and McCollum, have said they hope general manager Neil Olshey will stand pat. We'll see. The good news is that Portland takes the court tonight on an eight-game home winning streak (7-1 ATS) and while the Blazers are only 12-20 against teams that are .500 or better, they are 17-5 against teams without a winning record. The Hornets are a sub-.500 team (23-30), including an 8-16 road record. Lay the points and make Portland a 10* play. |
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02-08-18 | Celtics +2 v. Wizards | Top | 110-104 | Win | 100 | 12 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: The Boston Celtics finish off a quick two-game road trip at the Washington Wizards on Thursday. The first stop on the trip didn't go well, as the Celtics lost 111-91 at Toronto on Tuesday and saw their lead in the Eastern Conference shrink to one game over the Raptors. Kyrie Irving returned from a quad injury to score 17 points in 22 minutes for Boston but the Celtics' 37-point first half did them in. As for the Wizards, they surprisingly won five straight after losing All-Star PG John Wall () to a knee injury, before falling flat in Philadelphia on Tuesday in a 115-102 loss. Bradley Beal scored 30 points in the loss but is averaging 23.4 points (on 50 percent shooting) and 6.2 assists over his last five games. Boston: The 39-16 Celtics saw Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown combine to shoot 10-of-17 from the floor at Toronto but the team's three other starters , Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Aron Baynes, scored only a combined 12 points, while connecting on just 6-of-22 shots (27.3%). "We looked slow, we looked like we weren't ready to react to their speed or their physicality," head coach Brad Stevens told reporters. "I think that was probably the case the whole night." Terry Rozier scored 18 points off the bench and is averaging 19.3 over a four-game span. Washington: The 31-23 Wizards (31-23) have moved into the No. 4 seed position in the East (just a half-game back of the Cavs), due to their recent surge. After the Wizards had 30 assists and eight players scored in double figures against the Raptors, Beal explained the contagious ball movement as "everybody eats." Center Marcin Gortat later tweeted out "Unbelievable win tonight! Great team victory!" Many interpreted those statements as a shot against Wall, charges Beal and Gortat denied. Thursday afternoon's NBA trade deadline is looming with the primary buzz involving Washington centers plus the lingering narrative about the team's improved play without Wall. He is averaging 19.3 points and 9.3 assists and expects to be out six to eight weeks following left knee surgery on Jan. 31. The pick: These teams had a pretty tough East semifinal last spring that Boston won in seven. Washington is 10-7 without Wall this season but his play helped lead the Wizards to a 111-103 at Boston on Christmas Day, getting a small piece of revenge. Beal scored 25 points, Wall had 21 and 14 assists plus Otto Porter finished with 20 points. However, Boston is an Eastern Conference best 18-8 SU on the road and this time around, they are the ones seeking revenge (from that Christmas Day loss), not to mention looking to "make up" from the team's poor effort in Toronto on Tuesday. Make Boston an 8* play. |
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02-07-18 | Wolves v. Cavs +4 | Top | 138-140 | Win | 100 | 12 h 21 m | Show |
analysis soon |
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02-07-18 | Virginia -3 v. Florida State | Top | 59-55 | Win | 100 | 11 h 15 m | Show |
The set-up: The No. 2 ranked Virginia Cavaliers are a perfect 11-0 in ACC play and have won 14 in a row overall to reach 22-1, thanks to beating teams by an average of 16.4 PPG. Meanwhile, 17-6 Florida State is stuck in the middle of the ACC pack with a 6-5 mark heading into the final weeks of the regular season. Florida State welcomes the 2nd-ranked Cavs to the Donald L. Tucker Center looking to make a bold statement with a marquee victory. Virginia's defense was "on its game in winning 59-44 at Syracuse on Saturday and FSU comes into this matchup with some confidence of its own, after an 80-76 victory at Louisville avenged a Jan. 10 loss to the Cardinals that halted the Seminoles' 28-game home winning streak. Virginia: The Cavaliers are allowing just 52.3 PPG, fewest in the nation and the second-best mark in in school history. They have held 11 opponents to fewer than 50 points. Virginia's slow, deliberate style creates turnovers as the Cavs leas the nation with 9.2 takeaways per game and six opponents have committed more giveaways than successful baskets. Defense has the key, so the Cavaliers haven't needed an explosive offense. UVa averages a modest 68.7 PPG, with guards Guy (15.5) and Hall (12.1 & 4.2) being the team's lone double digit scorers. The team uses an eight-man rotation and the biggest contributors among the other six have been guard Jerome (9.6) and the 6-7 Wilkins (6.0 & 6.7). Florida State: The Seminoles are the anti-Cavaliers, as they like to push the ball up the court with a fast-break offense (84.7 PPG ranks ) led by guard Terance Mann, the team's leading scorer (15.5). Fellow guard Angola checks in at 14.1 & 4.4 and the 6-8 Cofer has come into his own this season, averaging 13.4 & 5.5. Five other players contribute between 6.1 and 9.3 PPG, including the 7-4 Koumadje (8.9 & 5.5) The pick: The Cavs have to "slip up" sometime and somewhere, right? I realize that no team has scored more than 68 points against the Cavaliers this season but the Seminoles are 10-1 at home where they have averaged 91.2 PPG. One of these days, the Cavs lack of offense ( (ranks 290th in scoring) will come back to 'bite' them. How about right here, where the Seminoles have won 32 of their last 33 games? Make FSU a 10* play. |
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02-06-18 | Nebraska +1.5 v. Minnesota | Top | 91-85 | Win | 100 | 13 h 24 m | Show |
The set-up: The Nebraska Cornhuskers have rebounded nicely this season after winning 13, 16 and 12 games the last three seasons. The Cornhuskers have won six of their last eight and will travel to Williams Arena in Minneapolis at 17-8 (8-4 in Big Ten). Waiting for them are the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who have not been so golden these days in losing eight of their last nine. Minnesota was 8-1 and ranked 14th when it met Nebraska for the first time this season (Cornhuskers won 79-68 in Lincoln) and after a win over Illinois, stood at 13-3. Those days are long gone now, as Minnesota is 14-11, including only 3-9 in the Big Ten. Nebraska: Three players are averaging in double figures for Nebraska, James Palmer Jr. (17.6 & 4.4), the 6-9 Isaac Copeland (13.2 & 6.4) and Glynn Watson Jr. (11.0 & 3.5). Nebraska's three-game winning streak has come against Big Ten bottom-feeders, most recently an 11-point win against Wisconsin. "You could just see our guys growing in confidence," said coach Tim Miles. The Cornhuskers trailed Wisconsin at halftime, shot just 4-of-19 from three-point range for the game and had two of their starters go scoreless but still rallied for a 74-63 win. James Palmer Jr. registered 28 points and has matched or exceeded that total in three of the last four outings. Isaac Copeland added 17 points and is averaging 21 points over his last three games while committing only one turnover in 100 minutes over that stretch. Minnesota: The Gophers put in a good effort at Michigan their last time out but it still resulted in a loss. "I'm proud of our guys for their effort," Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino said after the three-point loss in overtime. "To play in front of a sold-out crowd when you're down two of your top six (players), no team in college basketball can sustain that. We're not feeling sorry for ourselves. We're not making excuses. We've got to play as close to perfect as we possibly can in order to win. We were close. We know we can play with anybody if we play the right way."Minnesota's demise began when the 6-10 Reggie Lynch (10.1 & 8.0) was sidelined due to sexual assault investigation. Amir Coffey, the team's third-leading scorer at 14.0 PPG has a shoulder injury and has missed the last two (he's missed seven game sin all, this season). Forward Jason Murphy is having a superb year (17.5 & 11.3) and guard Mason (15.7-3.9-4.3) has been the team's best guard. Freshman guard Isaiah Washington delivered the best performance of his rookie season with 26 points off the bench against Michigan but checks in averaging a modest 7.7 PPG on the season. The pick: Minnesota is no slouch at home (10-4 SU and averaging 80.7 PPG) but without the shot-blocking Lynch (4.1 per game), the Golden Gophers have lost their last three at home. Without a healthy Coffey as well, this team is VERY vulnerable and looking like an NIT-bound squad. Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers are now on the radar of the NCAA Tourney Selection Committee. The committee doesn't consider ATS records but we sure do and will note that Nebraska is on a highly-profitable 12-1-1 ATS run. Let's not forget that Nebraska handled this team at home when Minnesota had "all hands on deck,' plus it's a bonus that 6-11 center Jordy Tshimanga has recently been reinstated (20 combined points and 12 rebounds over his last two games). Make Nebraska a 10* play. |
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02-06-18 | Grizzlies +2.5 v. Hawks | Top | 82-108 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
The set-up: The Memphis decided to sideline PG Mike Conley (17.1 & 4.1 APG) after a game on Jan 13, so he could rest his Achilles. More recently, the team announced Conley would not return this season. Memphis was 7-6 when Conley was sidelined but has gone 11-28 since, leaving them 9 1/2 games out of the West's final playoff spot at 18-34, overall. The Grizzlies will visit Philips Arena Tuesday night to take on the 16-37 Hawks, whose 10-year playoff run will come to an end this season. The Hawks are just trying to stay clear of the East 'basement,' edging the New York Knicks 99-96 on Sunday to earn their second win in four games (the Hawks are a half-game worse than the Magic, leaving them 15th of 15 teams in the East). Memphis: The Grizzlies are trying to find their way while surrounding center Marc Gasol (18.0 & 18.6) with a plethora of young players. Swingman Tyreke Evans (19.5-5.0-5.0) was picked up for 'a song' and has been Memphis' best player but he's on the trading block and has been absent from the first three games in Memphis' four-game trip pending a potential deal prior to the Thursday deadline.The 6-8 JaMychal Green (10.1 & 7.4) is the only other Memphis player in double digits. Atlanta: The Hawks surrendered an average of 121 points in losses to Charlotte and Boston before turning things around on the defensive end and limiting the Knicks to 5-of-23 from three-point rang in Sunday's three-point win. That victory was just the Hawks' third road win against the East, snapping an eight-game conference losing streak. PG Dennis Schroder (19.3 & 6.4 APG) is the team's lone "go-to" scorer, although six others are averaging between 10.0 and 13.2 PPG. That group includes 6-10 rookie John Collins (Wake Forest), who is averaging 10.4 & 6.9 in about 22 minutes. The pick: The Grizzlies are just 5-29 on the road and 3-15 outside of the Western Conference but playing at Philips Arena hasn't been a home court advantage for the Atlanta, as the Hawks are just 11-16 SU. I'll take depth-shy Grizzlies, making Memphis an 8* play. |
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02-05-18 | Blazers v. Pistons -2 | Top | 91-111 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
The set-up: The Pistons opened the new year 2-11 and had lost eight games in a row before trading for the Clippers' Blake Griffin. This just in, the "Blake Griffin era" is off to a rousing start. The Pistons ended their eight-game slide by taking down the Cavs 125-114 the game before Griffin joined the team and then added two more wins with Griffin averaging 20.0-9.5-6.0. "Just a little more tired today - the adrenaline wore off a little bit, just the toll of the week," Griffin told reporters on Saturday. "It's amazing to see all these guys step up and play so well." Detroit gets set to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Trail Blazers arrive in Detroit looking to recover from blowing a 16-point halftime lead at Boston on Sunday, losing 97-96 when Al Horford beat the buzzer with a 15-footer! Portland: CJ McCollum led the way with 21 points for Portland, but after scoring at least 100 points in 17 straight games, Portland's streak came to an end in Boston. Portland,, which shoots 45.4% from the floor on the season, shot just 39.6 percent with Damian Lillard being one of the main culprits with a 6-for-19 effort (his worst single-game shooting percentage since Nov. 13. Maurice Harkless (5.4) helped to pick up some of the slack by making a career-high five three-pointers in as many attempts and scoring 19 points, eclipsing his total from the previous eight games combined. Lillard (25.2-4.7-6.7) and McCollum (21.9-4.0-3.2) are an excellent guard tandem but only center Nurkic (14.3 & 8.2) joins them in double digits. Detroit: All-Star center Andre Drummond (15.0 & 15.3) has welcomed Griffin with open arms, and the tandem has shown flashes of dominance underneath, outrebounding Miami on their own by a 29-26 margin. Drummond grabbed 20 of those boards to go along with 23 points, four blocks and four steals, and the big man has registered six straight double-doubles. " Ish Smith scored a season-high 25 points against the Heat and is shooting 60.7 percent over his last five games. He's taken over for the injured Jackson at PG and is up to 10.6 PPG and 4.4 APG on the season. The pick: Griffin has re-energized the Detroit franchise. The Pistons have won the first three games of a six-game homestand since acquiring Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers and at 25-26, can get back to the .500 mark if they continue their streak against Portland on Monday night (note: the Pistons are now a half-game behind Philadelphia for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference). The early returns on the power pairing of Griffin and All-Star center Andre Drummond have been promising and note that D rummond averaged 23.5 points and 14.5 rebounds as Detroit went 2-0 against Portland last season. One wonders just how Portland recovers thsi quickly after Sunday's brutal loss in Boston? Make Detroit a 10* play. |
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02-05-18 | Indiana -2 v. Rutgers | Top | 65-43 | Win | 100 | 12 h 48 m | Show |
The set-up: Both Indiana (12-12) and Rutgers (12-13) are basically .500 teams on the season but while the Hoosiers are 5-7 in Ben Ten play, the Scarlet Knights are a woeful 2-10. Indiana travels to New Brunswick Monday night and comes in off losing five of its last six games, including a current four-game slide. Rutgers welcomes Indiana to the Louis Brown Athletic Center., where the Scarlet Knights have lost five of their last seven home games. Indiana: The Hoosiers fell short in their upset bid of fourth-ranked Michigan State on Saturday, dropping a 63-60 decision to the Spartans on Saturday. "We're coming down the home stretch and we're trying to fight and claw for every win that we can," Indiana head coach Archie Miller told reporters. "It's all about Rutgers right now and we've got to get ready to go." The 6-8 Juwan Morgan (16.5 & 7.2) led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds against Michigan State, registering his seventh double-double of the season. Freddie McSwain Jr. (3.8 & 4.3) added eight points and set a career high with 16 rebounds, including nine offensive boards. Guard Devonte Green (7.3) contributed eight points and dished out a career-high six assists, but Indiana was undone by a 28.8 percent performance from the floor in the three-point loss. Other than Morgan, guard Johnson (13.2 & 4.6) is the only other double digit scorer. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights made a valiant effort last Saturday, losing just 78-76 to No. 3 Purdue (team's fifth straight loss). That effort came despite playing without key players Mike Williams (9.2 & 4.2) do to an ankle problem and Eugene Omoruyi (7.6 & 4.7) out with a knee issue. "We can play with anybody when we play like that and follow the game plan and execute," Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell told reporters. "When building a program you have to go through a lot of stuff." Guard Corey Sanders (14.2-4.4-3.2) poured in a season-high 31 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the loss to Purdue to move into 22nd place on the program's all-time scoring list. The 6-7 Deshawn Freeman (11.3 & 7.5) narrowly missed a double-double as he scored 16 points and pulled down nine rebounds, to finish in double figures for the 20th time in 25 games this season. Freshman guard Geo Baker (11.6) went 3-of-4 from the three-point line en route to 14 points. The pick: The Indiana Hoosiers aren't winning many games, but they are playing better basketball recently (see Michigan St. game). The Scarlet Knights are connecting on just 38.0% of their shots in their five-game slide and they hope to avoid a seventh consecutive loss to the Hoosiers. Not happening, off that all-out try against Purdue. Make Indiana a 10* play. |
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02-04-18 | Hornets v. Suns +6 | Top | 115-110 | Win | 100 | 8 h 32 m | Show |
The set-up: The Suns began a three-game homestand with a 102-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday but that defense did not carry over to Friday, as Phoenix was trounced 129-97 by the Utah Jazz and the Suns have now lost six of their last seven to fall to 18-35 (1 1/2 games out of the Western Conference 'basement'). Phoenix completes its three-game homestand by hosting the 22-29 Charlotte Honets on Super Bowl Sunday. The Hornets have lit up the scoreboard in back-to-back wins over in Atlanta on Wednesday (123-110), followed by a 133-126 home win over Indiana on Friday. Charlotte: PG Kemba Walker (22.9 & 5.9 APG) scored 41 points in the win over the Pacers, after getting 38 at Atlanta. "Offensively, we are playing great," Walker told reporters. "We were moving the basketball and making the extra pass and knocking it down when we needed to. Defensively, I think we can be a lot better, but I think we have been doing a great job, especially when we really need it. We are getting some big-time stops." SG Nicolas Batum is finally rounding into form as well, and followed up a triple-double at Atlanta with 31 points and nine rebounds against Indiana. Batum is now averaging 11.9-4.5-4.7, not quite at the level of production he had last season but he's heading in the right direct. Center Dwight Howard averages a double-double (15.9 & 12.7) but once again the question arises, is he really making his team better? Phoenix: About the only positive coming out of Friday's ugly 32-point loss was the continued strong play of rookie small forward Josh Jackson. He scored 20 points to reach that mark for the third straight game, the best stretch of his young career. Jackson is averaging10.5 & 3.8 on the season but another young Phoenix player is not having such a strong run. 20-year-old power forward Marquese Chriss (7.0 & 5.0) is expected to serve a team-imposed one-game suspension on Sunday for reportedly getting into a verbal confrontation with an assistant coach. Devin Booker broke the franchise record for consecutive made free throws in a season when he reached 60 on Friday, surpassing the previous mark of 57 shared by Kevin Johnson and Mike Bratz. Booker (24.3) is the team's lone "All Star caliber" player, although one can't discount T.J. Warren's (19.5 & 5.2) consistent production. However, when a team ranks dead-last in points allowed at 112.1 PPG, most games are an up hill battle. The pick: This Super Bowl Sunday matchup sets up as a showdown between a pair of two perceived all-star snubs, Kemba Walker and Devin Booker. The Hornets begin a four-game road trip with this one and with trips to Denver, Portland and Utah on the schedule, this is easily the team's best chance to pick up a win on this Western swing. However, it's difficult for me to view Charlotte, a team with a 7-15 SU record on the road, being a road favorite. Let me note that the home team has taken each of the last four in this series, with the Suns earning a 120-103 triumph back on March 2 in the Hornets' most recent visit to Phoenix. Make the Suns a 10* play. |
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02-04-18 | Temple -2.5 v. Tulane | Top | 83-76 | Win | 100 | 7 h 27 m | Show |
The set-up: Both the Temple Owls (12-10 / 4-6 AAC) and the Tulane Green Wave (13-8 / 4-5 in AAC) are in the bottom half of the American Athletic Conference standings The two schools meet on Super Bowl Sunday in New Orleans, with the Owls looking to build off wins in four of their last five games, including an an 81-79 overtime win over No. 16 Wichita State on Friday. Meanwhile, the Green Wave are looking to turn their momentum around after losing four of their last six, although they did take a step in the right direction with a 71-69 overtime win over East Carolina in their last outing. Temple: Guard Quinton Rose led Temple with 19 points against the Shockers, while fellow Josh Brown (8.3-3.5-3.5) added 15 points along with three assists and three steals. Rose is the etam's leading scorer at 14.4 PPG (also adds 4.4 RPG) and the team's second-leading scorer is guard Shizz Alston Jr. (13.0 & 3.4), who added 12 points but shot a miserable 5 of 22 from the floor. The The 6-10 Obi Enechionyia (11.3 & 6.6) andfreshman guard Nate Pierre-Louis (7.3), each added 11 points. Temple's 81-point outburst is not typical, as the Owls average 68.1 PPG (299th) on 41.7% shooting from the floor (310th), including just 33.8% from behind the arc (239th and 68.1% from the foul line (279th). Tulane: Melvin Frazier led Tulane with 22 points, while adding eight rebounds and a team-high four assists in the team's OT win against East Carolina. Frazier (17.3 & 5.7) is the team's leading scorer, joined in double digits this season by the 6-8 Reynolds (15.8 & 6.3), PG Embo (10.1-3.2-3.4) and the 6-9 Sehic (10.0 & 5.4). Tulane can score slightly better than Temple, averaging 75.1 PPG. The pick: Temple’s win over Wichita State was huge, perhaps the school's biggest win since joining this conference in 2013. Does that mean this contest against Tulane has "letdown written all over it?" Not in my opinion. Temple preceded its upset of Wichita State with a well-played 85-67 romp over UConn, making me believe the Owls are more of a "play on" team at the moment. Revenge should work here, after Temple lost at home to Tulane 85-75 in its AAC opener back on Dec. 28th. Temple was a 9 1/2-point choice in that one but shot a season-worst 4 of 21 from three-point range in that 10-point loss. Obi Enechionyia was a season-worst 1 of 9 from the floor in the first meeting and surely will play better, plus Temple can't possibly shoot worse from beyond the arc, right?. Make the Owls a 10* play. |
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02-03-18 | Arizona v. Washington +6 | Top | 75-78 | Win | 100 | 15 h 54 m | Show |
The set-up: Arizona lost all three games in the Battle for Atlantis tourney but has recovered to win 16 of 17 and at 19-4 (9-1 in Pac 12), is ranked 9th in the latest AP poll and sits atop the Pac 12 standings, one game better than 8-2 USC. The Wildcats have reeled off seven straight wins after a 100-72 blowout victory over host Washington State in their last game. Arizona travels to Seattle tonight to take on the surprising Washington Huskies, who are 16-6 overall, including 6-3 in Pac 12 play. Washington has third place in the Pac-12 to itself (2 1/2 games back of Arizona), after being picked 10th in the preseason. Arizona: The Wildcats' lone loss in their 16-1 run came 80-77 at Colorado back on Jan. 6). Junior guard Alonzo Trier (19.9) and 7-1 freshman Deandre Ayton (19.7) rank 1-2 atop the list of Pac-12 scoring leaders and Ayton leads the conference in rebounding (10.7) plus ranks second in field-goal percentage (63.2). Guard Rawle Alkins (14.7 points), who has missed three of the last five games while dealing with a sore foot, and the 7-0 Ristic (11.3 & 6.7) also are averaging double figures while PG Parker Jackson-Cartwright is averaging 7.4 points and a team-best 5.0 assists. Arizona is averaging 82.5 PPG (30th) on 51.4% shooting (3rd). Washington: The Huskies have made the most of a three-game homestand so far, routing Washington State (80-62) on Sunday and out-dueling 23rd-ranked Arizona State (68-64) on Thursday night. 6-8 forward Noah Dickerson had 21 points and 16 rebounds – his second double-double in the last three games – to bump up his season averages to 14.5 points and a team-leading 8.1 RPG. Guards Jaylen Nowell (16.6), David Crisp (11.8) and Matisse Thybulle (11.3) also are averaging double digits for the Huskies, who lead the conference in steals (8.7) and turnovers forced (15.6). The pick: Arizona has won the last eight meetings in the series but Washington seems like a very different team this season under after 76-68 (road) and 77-66 (home) victories a season ago. Saturday’s game will be their only regular-season meeting this year under first-year head coach and former Boeheim assistant, Mike Hopkins. It’ll be strength-vs.-strength from the three-point arc as Arizona is shooting a Pac-12-best 40.0 percent from long range while the Huskies own the conference’s top three-point defense, limiting the opposition to a 32.9-percent success rate. The cry out of Seattle these days is, "Who needs Markelle Fultz!" The One and Done former Huskie was the NBA's No. 1 pick and while he struggles with an injury and shooting woes (doing NOTHING for the 76ers), Washington is thriving with four of last year's five starters back. Upset alert. Make Washington an 8* play. |
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02-03-18 | Georgetown +14.5 v. Xavier | Top | 91-96 | Win | 100 | 10 h 24 m | Show |
The set-up: The Xavier Musketeers are ranked No. 6 in the latest AP poll and are now 20-3 (8-2 in Big East) after squeaking by St, John's 73-68. "We're fortunate to come away with a win," head coach Chris Mack told reporters. "That might be the best 0-11 team I've ever seen anywhere in a conference. Period."Xavier will be at home on Saturday to host the 13-8 Georgetown Hoyas, who benefited from a weak early-season slate to open 8-0. However, the Hoyas are just 5-8 since, including 3-7 in Big East play. Georgetown: The 6-10 Jessie Govan has been the heart and soul of the Hoyas attack, leading the team in points (16.2) and rebounds (10.3) but the junior center is mired in a lengthy slump, having averaged just 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds over his previous five outings. 6-7 forward Marcus Derrickson (15.6 & 7.3) has picked up the scoring slack during Govan's cold snap, averaging better than 22 points over his past three games, including a season-best 27 points in a thrilling double-overtime win over St. John's on Jan. 20. That duo comprises the team's lone double digit scorers, although the Hoyas average a respectable 78.0 PPG (79yth). Xavier: The Musketeers boast one of the most well-balanced offenses in the nation, ranking 19th in scoring (84.2 points per game), 15th in assists (17.5), 16th in field-goal success rate (49.9 percent) and and 27th in free-throw percentage (76.8). Xavier's scoring leader is the 6-6 Trevon Bluiett (18.7 & 5.7) but he has been in a minor scoring funk, averaging 14 points over his previous three games while shooting 6-for-20 from three-point range. J.P. Macura (13.0 & 4.3) broke out for 27 points in a Jan. 20 win over Seton Hall but has scored just 18 points in two games since, shooting a combined 5-of-16 from the floor. The 6-10 Kanter (10.2 & 5.4) is the team's only other double digit scorer and will be tasked with slowing Govan. The pick: Foul shooting has helped the Hoyas remain competitive in the majority of their Big East games so far as Georgetown ranks second in the conference and fifth in the country in free-throw percentage (78.6). Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing took solace in the way his team battled back against Creighton in a tough environment. After trailing 46-33 at halftime, the Hoyas rallied to cut the Bluejays' lead to 71-70 with less than four minutes remaining, before falling 85-77. "We didn't start the game out with the intensity and with the right frame of mind that I would have liked," Ewing said. "In the second half, we came with a lot more intensity, a lot more effort, a lot more focus." The Hoyas are 5-1 as a rod dog in Big East play and this is a lot of points. Make Georgetown an 8* play. |
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02-03-18 | Kentucky +2 v. Missouri | Top | 60-69 | Loss | -109 | 7 h 35 m | Show |
The set-up: The Kentucky Wildcats opened the season No. 5 in the AP's preseason poll and was at No. 18 when it lost back-to-back games on Jan. 16th & 20th. The Wildcats fell out of the AP's Jan 22nd poll, ending a run of 68 straight weeks of being in the top-25. However, with Kentucky's big comeback win over then-No. 7 West Va. last Saturday (trailed West Virginia by 15 at halftime, before outscoring the Mountaineers 50-28 after intermission), the Wildcats were back in the top-25 at No. 21 this past Monday. The Wildcats overcame another slow start this past Wednesday (trailed by 14 points in the second half against Vanderbilt), before coming back to win 83-81 in overtime. Kentucky is 17-5 (6-3 in SEC) as it visits 14-8 Missouri (4-5 in SEC) on Saturday afternoon in Columbia, Mo. at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers snapped a three-game skid with a 69-60 win at Alabama on Wednesday. Kentucky: Freshmen account for 86.6 percent of the Wildcats’ scoring (Kentucky averages 77.6 PPG, which ranks 91st), as four of their five starters, as well as their top six scorers, are first-year players. The 6-9 Kevin Knox (15.6 & 5.8) picked up National Player of the Week honors last week after averaging 26.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in wins over Mississippi State and West Virginia, while PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (12.6 & 4.3 APG) has upped his production to 15.7 points and 4.4 assists in six games since moving into the starting lineup. Guard Hamidou Diallo (12.2 & 4.4) and 6-7 reserve forward P.J. Washington (10.6 & 5.0) also average double digits in points. Missouri: This is Cuonzo Martin's first season at Missouri but the coach spent three years at Tennessee from 2012 to 2014. The Tigers are thin in the backcourt, as reserve point guard Terrence Phillips has been suspended indefinitely in the midst of a Title IX investigation .while freshman point guard Blake Harris transferred earlier in the season. Missouri is led by Robertson, a graduate transfer, at 16.0 PPG. He has topped 20 points the last three games. Two 6-7 forwards follow, Jordan Barnett (14.0 & 5.9) and Kevin Puryear (9.0 & 4.7). The Tigers also count on two big freshmen in key roles, the 6-10 Jeremiah Tilmon (8.3 & 4.2) and Jontay Porter (8.1 & 6.5 rebounds). Both had big games against Alabama (Porter had 13 points and Tillman 12) and can make a major impact at both ends of the floor when they aren’t in foul trouble. The pick: Kentucky assistant Tony Barbee is filling in for coach John Calipari, who has been ill. He said about Missouri, "They're one of the most talented teams in this league. Don't let their record fool you. They've had some great wins. Going to Alabama and winning. Beating Tennessee, beating Georgia, beating South Carolina. I mean, this team is as good top to bottom as any team in this league and they present a lot of difference challenges for us." Forewarned is forearmed and the Wildcats can't keep falling behind their opponents. A "very focused' Kentucky team is the 10* play in this one. |
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02-03-18 | Cincinnati v. Connecticut +13 | Top | 65-57 | Win | 100 | 4 h 25 m | Show |
The set-up: The No. 9 Cincinnati Bearcats have won 13 straight games (9-0 in AAC) with an 80-70 home victory over Houston their last time out. They visit the the 11-11 (4-5 AAC) UConn Huskies at Gampel Pavilion for a 12 noon ET tip-off on Saturday. While the Bearcats are off a stirring 18-point comeback win against the Cougars on Wednesday, the Huskies have lost four of their last five after a particularly humbling 70-61 loss to a Central Florida team that had dropped 11 of the previous 12 meetings between the schools.Cincinnati: The question I've had for this team all year is when the time comes, when the moment of truth comes, will we be able to take our game to another level," coach Mick Cronin told "reporters after the game. "I thought that's what we did." The Bearcats own the nation's second-best defense (56.8 PPG) and after allowing 40 points in the first half against Houston, held the Cougars to 30 second-half points while limiting the AAC's second-leading scorer Rob Gray to nine points on 4-of-15 shooting. The 6-8 Gary Clark (13.3 & 9.2) has been Cincinnati's most consistent option of late, reaching double figures in 10 consecutive games while averaging 11.3 rebounds over his previous six contests. PG Jacob Evans (13.9-4.2-3.4) is the team's leading scorer and has reached double figures in nine straight contests and had 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists versus Houston. The 6-9 Washington (11.1 & 5.40 and guard Cumberland (10.9) round out the double digit scorers.
UConn: The Huskies' latest slump has seen a growing call by fans to fire former national champion-coach Kevin Ollie.UConn is a team 'stuck ion neutral' and the team's paltry 9.9 APG ranks ahead of only four other Division I teams. Junior guard Jalen Adams leads the team in scoring at 17.6 PPG but has been held to just 18 in his previous two games combined. Backcourt mate Christian Vitale (14.0 & 4.7) scored just nine points in the loss to UCF and is shooting a dismal 36.6 percent from the floor on the season. On the bright side, the Huskies got Terry Larrier back in the lineup against UCF, who wore a mask to protect his face after suffering a fractured sinus wall that required surgery after he took a shot to the face Jan. 10 and was in and out of the lineup with severe headaches. Larrier scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in his return against UCF. However, UConn has already PG Alterique Gilbert to shoulder surgery for a second straight season (he has played just nine games in his two years at UConn). The pick: Cincinnati is one of two teams in the country with a scoring margin north of 20 (plus-20.2). So is it the Bearcats? Not so fast. The Cougars almost beat the Bearcats in BB&T Arena on Wednesday, where Cincy has won 38 in a row. Sure, the 'wolves are howling' in Storrs but with Larrier back, expect the home dog to 'bark' in this one. Make UConn an 8* play. |
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02-02-18 | Jazz v. Suns +5.5 | Top | 129-97 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 54 m | Show |
The set-up: The 22-28 Utah Jazz head to Phoenix on Friday night to open a four-game road trip, having won three in a row and four of five. The 18-34 Suns welcome the Jazz to Phoenix having snapped a five-game losing streak with a 102-88 home victory over Dallas on Wednesday. Utah's recent uptick has them within 'shouting distance' of a playoff berth (Jazz sit 10th in the West, four games back of the final playoff spot), while the Suns are already nine games out of a playoff berth, just two games better than the West's worst team (Mavs). Utah: The NBA season is a grind but the Jazz can't help but be feeling somewhat giddy after they shot a season-high 58.7 percent against Golden State in Tuesday's 129-99 home win. "Shooting is an equalizer," Jazz head coach Quin Snyder told reporters afterward. Small forward Joe Ingles (10.0 & 4.2) had 20 points and a career-high six three-pointers, while Ricky Rubio (11.4 & 5.0 APG) had a double-double with 23 points and a season-high-tying 11 assists. Rookie Donovan Mitchell, the team's leading scorer at 19.2 PPG, had 20 points against the Warriors. Mitchell is making a strong case for NBA Rookie of the Year consideration, after averaging 22.2 points in 11 January games, with season highs of 34 and 35 points. He was named the Western Conference rookie of the month for January. Phoenix: Devin Booker had 15 points and Marquese Chriss had his second double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds when both returned to the lineup against Dallas after missing a game. NBA folowers know all about Booker (24.4 PPG) but with a third-quarter steal Wednesday, third-year forward Chriss became the fourth player in league history to record 100 steals, 100 blocks and 100 3-pointers before his 21st birthday. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant are the others. "I think it is pretty dope," said Chriss, averaging 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds a game. "I like to block shots. I like to shoot. So I think that's me." The pick: The Jazz know they need to avoid a letdown off that Golden State win, as they prepare for a trip that will take them through San Antonio, New Orleans and Memphis after leaving Phoenix. "You want to move on from it in the sense that there's some sense of accomplishment: It's over," Quin Snyder told reporters. "But how you got the win, and how you played and what you're doing -- we need to understand the things that we did that we want to do again. It becomes a question of repeating it. The more you do it, the more it becomes who you are. Games like that can give you some confidence." There is no doubt that the return of center Rudy Gobert has made a difference for Utah (14.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG and 2.7 BPG in his six games back) but the Jazz are just 7-19 SU on the road and a let down off that Golden State win seems almost inevitable. Make Phoenix an 8* play. |
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02-02-18 | Knicks v. Bucks -2.5 | Top | 90-92 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 33 m | Show |
The set-up: Jabari Parker takes the court for the first time in nearly 12 months when the 27-23 Milwaukee Bucks host the New York Knicks on Friday. Parker has been recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. It was supposed to mark the first time Milwaukee put its core of Parker, Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Bledsoe on the floor in the same game. However, Antetokounmpo, who has been battling a knee issue this season, suffered an ankle injury late in a 108-89 loss at Minnesota on Thursday night. Making matters worse for Milwaukee, point guard Malcom Brogdon was also injured Thursday night. The team tentatively announced that Brogdon suffered a strained left calf but will undergo further testing Friday night and isn't expected to play tonight when the 23-29 NY Knicks visit . the Bradley Center. NY Knicks: Facing a short-handed Bucks squad would be good news for the Knicks, after the team saw its a two-game winning streak snapped with a horrific 103-73 loss to Boston on Wednesday, the team's largest margin of defeat this season. The Knicks may come into the game six games under .500 and 10th in the Eastern Conference but they are still within striking distance of the playoffs, trailing No. 8 Philadelphia by three games and No. 7 Milwaukee by five. Porzingis (23.1 & 6.6) remains the "go-to" guy on offense but although the Knicks shoot well as team (46.8% ranks 7th), they average a modest 104.5 PPG (20th). Defensively, they are middle-of-the-pack a in allowing 105.9 PPG (16th). Milwaukee: Parker had posted career-best averages of 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 51 games last season prior to his latest ACL tear. Parker was informed that he will play about 15 minutes in his return and the club will certainly monitor him closely due to the fact that he's had two ACL tears in the same knee in a 26-month span). Brodgon's (13.3) injury came in the second quarter but Antetokounmpo's (28.2-10.4-4.8) came in the fourth with the Bucks trailing by as many as 17. Interim head coach Joe Prunty defended his decision to keep his star player on the floor late in a blowout loss on the first night of a back-to-back. "That's the whole thing, (the deficit) was right around 15 and that's what we were talking about, was, 'Can we make a push here'?" Prunty said. Milwaukee shoots well like the Knicks (47.9% ranks 4th) but similarly, does not score well enough (104.8 PPG ranks 19th). The pick: The Bucks are 6-3 when unrested this year (played last night) but the injuries to Antetokounmpo and Brogdon could cause concern. Then again, the Knicks are just 7-20 SU and 11-16 ATS on the road. I'll make Milwaukee a 10* play. |
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02-02-18 | Rhode Island -3.5 v. VCU | Top | 81-68 | Win | 100 | 12 h 48 m | Show |
The set-up: The 18-3 Rhode Island Rams take their 13-game winning streak and a No. 22 ranking in the latest AP poll to the Siegel Center in Richmond, Va. to take on the 14-8 Virginia Commonwealth Rams in Atlantic 10 action on Friday. Rhode Island is 10-0 in league play, while VCU is 6-3. Rhode Island trailed by as many as 13 points against UMass on Tuesday night, before prevailing 85-83, and is in the midst of its longest winning streak since 1939-40. VCU has won its last three games and is 10-3 at home on the season. Rhode Island: Senior guard Jared Terrell is the leading scorer for Rhode Island on the season, averaging 18.0 PPG, However, after going out with an injury after the season's first two games, 6-5 senior EC Matthews (13.7 PPG in 15 games) returned on Dec. 16, which was the beginning of Rhode Island's 13-game winning streak. Joining that guard duo in double digits are the 6-8 Andre Berry (10.0 & 4.1) and another senior guard, Stanford Robinson (10.0 & 5.6). Virginia Commonwealth: The 6-8 Justin Tillman leads in scoring (18.2) and rebounding (9.7) with guard De’Riante Jenkins (13.1 & 4.0) and PG Jonathan Williams (10.2 & 5.8). Registering double-doubles is commonplace for Tillman, who has had 18 in his last 30 conference games, but Khris Lane got into the act for the first time this season during Saturday's win over George Mason. The 6-7 senior forward, who had six double-doubles last season while averaging 17.1 points and 7.3 rebounds at Longwood, had 25 points and 12 rebounds, both season highs, against George Mason. However, he is averaging just 8.0 & 3.7 on the season. The set-up; Rhode Island has not only won 13 straight overall, it enters this contest on an 18-game conference winning streak, with 10 of those wins coming on the road. The 18-game league win streak for Rhode Island is tied with George Washington for the fourth-longest in A-10 history behind Saint Joseph's (21) and Temple (25, 27). The streak will end sometime (somewhere), but NOT here. Make Rhode Island a 10* play. |
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02-01-18 | Oregon State v. Stanford -4.5 | Top | 71-80 | Win | 100 | 15 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: Two middle-of-the-road Pac 12 teams meet tonight at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto, Ca, as the 11-9 (3-5 in Pac 12) Oregon State Beavers take on the 11-11 (5-4 in Pac 12) Stanford Cardinal. The Beavers could sure use a win here after losing five of their last seven games, while a Cardinal victory gets Stanford one game over .500. Oregon State: The 6-8 Tres Tinkle is the coach's son and leads in scoring (17.9), rebounding (7.2) and assists (3.4). Guard Stephen Thompson Jr. is right behind him at 16.3 & 3.3 plus the 6-10 Drew Eubanks is the third double-digit scorer (12.3 & 6.6). The Beavers shot just 3-of-17 from three-point range in last Saturday’s 66-57 loss to rival Oregon. Stephen Thompson Jr. led the Beavers against the Ducks with 16 points and has scored in double figures in nine straight games. However, head coach Wayne Tinkle sure needs more production from forward Drew Eubanks, who has scored a total of eight points in his last two games. OSU averages a modest 72.5 PPG (221st). Stanford: The Cardinal are averaging 75.0 PPG and allowing 75.4, so it's no surprise they are 11-11. The 6-8 Reid Travis leads in scoring at 19.4 and adds 7.6 RPG. Three other players are averaging in double digits. Guard Pickens, back from missing seven weeks due to a foot injury, is at 13.4 PPG (in 12 games), the 6-10 Humphrey averages 11.4 PPG and leads in rebounding (7.9) plus PG Davis checks in at 10.4-4.1-4.6. Oregon State: The Beavers haven't won a road game in over a year and a half (since March of 2016), while Stanford is providing plenty of spread value since the first of the year, covering seven in a row before losing at UCLA on Jan. 27. Stanford has won 21 of its last 23 games against Oregon State at Maples Pavilion, so I'm laying the points and making the Cardinal an 8* play. |
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02-01-18 | Wichita State -6 v. Temple | Top | 79-81 | Loss | -107 | 11 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: After 72 years in the MVC, Wichita State is "trying the AAC on for size" in the 2017-18. So far, so good. The Shockers are 17-4 (7-2 in AAC) as they head to Philly tonight to take on the 11-10 Temple Owls (3-6 in AAC). Wichita State has bounced back from a two-game losing streak with back-to-back 19-point victories, including 90-71 over Tulsa on Sunday. Meanwhile, Temple's 85-57 win over Connecticut on Sunday, its largest margin of victory this season, gives the Owls three wins in their last four to creep one game over .500, overall. Wichita State: The team's leading scorer is sophomore guard Landry Shamet (14.6 & 5.2 APG) but he's just 5-for-27 from the floor (18.5%) in his last three games, including a horrific 1-for-18 from three-point range. Senior forward Shaquille Morris (12.8 & 4.6) is 20 points shy of becoming the 46th player in school history to reach 1,000 after totaling 39 in his last two games. Sophomore guard Austin Reaves (7.0 points) set a school record for three-pointers in a half with seven Sunday en route to a career-high 23 points. Senior forward Rashard Kelly (team-high 7.7 rebounds) will try to become the first Shocker in more than 21 years to record four straight double-figure rebounding games after grabbing 31 in his last three contests. Wichita State is an excellent offensive team, averaging 83.4 PPG (25th) on 48.2% shooting (30th). Temple: The Owls' largest margin of victory this season (see above) came right after the team's 75-42 setback at No. 8 Cincinnati on Jan. 24, its most-lopsided loss of the season. Sophomore guard Quinton Rose averages a team-high 14.2 points after scoring 17 versus Connecticut but had only 12 in his previous two games combined. Junior guard Shizz Alston Jr. Alston averages 13.1 PPG and the only other Owl in double figures is 6-10 Senior Obi Enechionyia (11.3 & 6.9). The Owls can't come close to matching the Shockers' firepower, averaging a modest 67.5 PPG (309th) on 41.7% shooting (311th). The pick: Having just switched leagues, Wichita State has not seen much of Temple and will be looking for its first-ever win over the Owls (0-3 in previous meetings). However, this is a classy Wichita State group, one which ranks fourth nationally in rebounding margin (plus-10.5) and third in the country in assists at 19.1 per game. That bodes well against an offensively-challenged and erratic-shooting (see above) Temple team. The Shockers lead the nation in road wins (71) and road winning percentage (.826) since the start of the 2010-11 season and while Temple has defeated a top-25 team in each of the last 10 seasons, it is 0-3 in such games this campaign and won't get a win here. Make Wichita State a 10* play. |
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01-31-18 | Heat v. Cavs -1.5 | Top | 89-91 | Win | 100 | 10 h 42 m | Show |
The set-up: Cleveland's 99-92 loss at Golden State on Christmas Day sent the team into a 4-10 tailspin, before back-to-back home wins over the Pacers (Fri) and Pistons (Sun) gave a glimpse of a 'light at the end of the tunnel.' However, in last night's quick turnaround matchup with the Pistons (this time in Detroit), the Cavs not only lost 125-114 to the depth-shy Pistons (due to the team's trade with the Clippers), but All-Star power forward Kevin Love (17.9 & 9.4) was removed from the game with 7:19 left in the first quarter and did not return. An X-ray showed a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal on his left hand, according to the team, and his status would be updated Wednesday. Reports have already surfaced saying that Love will likely miss six-to-eight weeks. Cleveland welcomes the Miami Heat to Quicken Loans Arena tonight, a team which has won 11 of its last 15 contests to reach 29-21, leaving them just one-half game behind the third-place 29-20 Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Miami: The Heat posted a 95-88 win at Dallas on Monday, when they limited the Mavericks to 38.4 percent shooting while holding a fourth straight opponent below 100 points. Center Hassan Whiteside had 25 points (on 10-of-15 shooting) and 14 rebounds against the Mavericks, a performance that occurred one day after an hour-long conversation with coach Erik Spoelstra. Whiteside had averaged just seven points on 6-of-17 shooting over the previous two games but whatever Spoelstra said it worked, as Whiteside (14.6 & 11.9) posted his 18th double-double of the campaign. Dragic (17.0-4.1-4.8) leads the team in scoring but with SG Waiters (14.3) out for the season, Miami is sure glad to get Cleveland: "When it rains, it pours," downcast Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters after the setback. "Kevin has been great for us all year. To lose an All-Star in the midst of what we are going through is tough. But next man up, we've got to be ready to play. But I feel sorry for Kevin." Cleveland has dropped 11 of its last 16 contests and now will be adjusting to not having Love, although he has been involved in team friction lately, most notably with guard Isaiah Thomas. Veteran forward Channing Frye picked up some of the scoring slack last night with season bests of 20 points and four three-pointers, and figures to be one of the players asked to step up his production. The pick: The Cavs' ATS record has been dreadful (especially at home where it's 5-18-1) but getting right back on the court after the loss to the Pistons (and the loss of Love), may just be a rallying point for this team. The pointspread has been adjusted down and I'm not convinced that Love's absence is all that big of a deal. Make the Cavs a 10* play. |
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01-31-18 | Pittsburgh +16.5 v. Miami-FL | Top | 57-69 | Win | 100 | 11 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: The Miami Hurricanes opened 10-0 and 13-2 but then suffered back-to-back losses to Clemson and Duke. things began looking up for Miami following wins over North Carolina State and Louisville but the Hurricanes fell 103-94 in OT on Saturday at rival Florida State. The 'Canes hope to put that dismal defensive performance behind them and earn a season sweep of Pittsburgh, which began ACC play with a 67-53 loss to Miami on Dec. 30 and a month later is still looking for its first conference win (0-9) after a hard-fought 60-55 loss to Syracuse. Pittsburgh: The Panthers attempted a season-high 65 field goals in the loss to Syracuse but they connected on a season-low 27.7 percent (18-of-65) from the floor. Pitt now hopes to avoid losing 10 consecutive games for just the third time in school history. Pittsburgh has started three or more freshmen in a game 14 times this season, including each of the last 12 contests, with four – Marcus Carr, Khameron Davis, Parker Stewart and Terrell Brown – starting in the first meeting with Miami. PG Carr (10.4 & 4.1 APG) is the only freshman averaging in double digits, as junior guard Wilson-Frame (12.8) and 6-9 senior Luther (12.7 & 10.1) are the team's top scorers. Miami: A tough week for Miami got even tougher on Tuesday with the news that versatile sophomore guard Bruce Brown (11.4-7.1-4.0) hurt his foot in practice and will undergo surgery that will keep him out at least six weeks. The Hurricanes will now need to make their push for the NCAA Tournament without their top rebounder and second-leading scorer. Miami will need to lean more on The Huell (13.5 & 6.9), the team's leading scorer, and heralded freshmen Lonnie Walker IV (10.8), the ACC's Co-Rookie of the Week after putting up 25 points against Louisville and 23 versus Florida State. The pick: The Panthers have used 15 different starting lineups (the most in the NCAA) and are still looking for their first victory since December 22. However, while Miami's defense was a strength early on, that hasn't been the case with the team splitting its last 10 games. In fact, Miami couldn't contain the Seminoles, who became the first team to shoot 60 percent in a game against Miami since Villanova shot 62.7 percent on March 24, 2016.Pittsburgh hasn't won a road game since February 8 of last year but Miami, especially with the loss of Brown, should not be laying this many points. Make Pittsburgh a 10* play. |
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01-30-18 | Vanderbilt v. Kentucky -10 | Top | 81-83 | Loss | -102 | 13 h 22 m | Show |
The set-up; The Kentucky Wildcats opened the season No. 5 in the AP's preseason poll and was at No. 18 when it lost back-to-back games on Jan. 16th & 20th. The Wildcats fell out of the AP's Jan 22nd poll, ending a run of 68 straight weeks of being in the top-25. However, with Kentucky's big comeback win over then-No. 7 West Va. last Saturday (trailed West Virginia by 15 at halftime, before outscoring the Mountaineers 50-28 after intermission), the 16-5 Wildcats (5-3 in SEC) are back in the top-25 at No. 21. The Wildcats will host an 8-13 Vanderbilt team coming off a quality win of its own in Tuesday's SEC action. Vanderbilt edged 15-6 TCU 81-78 on Saturday, as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Vanderbilt: Riley LaChance led the 'Dores with 24 points and Jeff Roberson added 20 points. The 6-6 Roberson (15.6 & 7.0) has scored between 17-21 points in nine of his last 11 games and said after the win, "More than anything, it's just a big confidence builder going forward." LaChance (12.7) is one of three guards averaging in double digits for Vandy, joined by senior Fisher-Davis (11.9 & 5.1) and freshman Lee (10.1). However, the Commodores are tied for last place in the SEC standings plus they are 0-4 on the road in league play. Kentucky: The 6-9 Kevin Knox (15.5 & 5.7) had a career-high 34 points in the win over West Va. but Calipari can't be happy that his team had only one other double-digit scorer against the Mountaineers, with guard Hamidou Diallo (12.7 & 4.6) recording 13 points, his second-highest total in the last nine outings. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11.8-3.8-4.4) continues to do a little bit of everything for Kentucky, registering six points, five assists, five rebounds and two blocks versus West Virginia. The 6-7 PJ Washington (10.8 & 5.0) notched a career-high 22 points against Mississippi State last week but followed up that effort by scoring only two points in 11 minutes against the Mountaineers. The pick: It would be hard to argue that this is a vintage Coach Cal edition but the comeback win in Morgantown was impressive. Plus, let's not forget Vandy's 0-4 SEC road mark, where the 'Dores have scored just 60, 62 and 62 points in three straight SEC road losses. Make Kentucky a 10* play. |
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01-30-18 | Thunder v. Wizards +3.5 | Top | 96-102 | Win | 100 | 11 h 28 m | Show |
The set-up: Russell Westbrook has elevated his game to MVP-levels once again during Oklahoma City's eight-game winning streak (longest active in the NBA) and the 27-22 Washington Wizards will now take on Westbrook and the 30-20 Thunder for the second time in less than a week. Westbrook scored a season-high 46 points in a 121-112 win over Washington at home on Thursday and the Wizards, who lave lost four of their last six, could be without All-Star point PG John Wall (knee) for a second straight game. Oklahoma City: The Thunder are averaging 122.5 points over its last six games and with Westbrook (25.7-9.5-10.1) coming off a 37-point, 14-assist effort in Sunday's intense victory over Philadelphia, he's averaging 33.8 points and 11.8 assists over his last five games. "I play the same way," Westbrook told reporters following the 122-112 triumph. "I can't really give you another answer because I do the same thing every night, regardless of what's going on." Sunday's game was the first since the team lost defensive stalwart Andre Roberson for the season due to a ruptured patella tendon and there may have been some greater incentive to keep the streak alive while figuring out new rotations. Paul George scored 31 points and is averaging 27.8 over a five-game span. George is up to on21.2 & 5.4 the season and 'Melo is at 17.6 & 5.9. Washington: Wall's absence didn't matter much in Saturday's 129-104 win at Atlanta, as Washington shot 57.6 percent from the from and 56.3 percent from 3-point range, as six players scored in double digits. Head coach Scott Brooks said that Wall (19.4 & 9.3 APG), who missed eight games earlier this season with a sore knee, wanted to play against Atlanta but the team exercised caution ahead of a challenging stretch of five games in eight days, the last three on the road. Markieff Morris (13.6 & 6.9) tied his season high with 23 points and Tim Frazier fell one assist shy of matching his career high when he handed out 14 in the win. Beal (23.9-4.4-3.8) joins Wall in an All-Star backcourt plus six others contribute between 6.2 and 13.6 PPG. The pick: Wizards could not slow down Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road last week but even if Wall sits, I see this game turning out much differently. Bradley Beal scored 41 points in the earlier loss to the Thunder and note that the Wizards won 120-98 in the last meeting between these two in Washington back on Feb. 13, 2017. Yes, OKC has won eight straight (6-2 ATS) but right before the team's winning streak began, the Thunder had been on a 2-5 SU & ATS run. Westbrook "stared down" Embiid on Sunday and is a "world class" talent but has anyone reminded him he wasn't "won anything" in his career? Or for that matter, neither has George nor 'Melo. Make Washington a 10* play. |
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01-29-18 | Celtics +1.5 v. Nuggets | Top | 111-110 | Win | 100 | 13 h 12 m | Show |
The set-up: The Boston Celtics lost 109-105 in Oakland to Golden State this past Saturday but the 35-15 Celtics still own the East's best record. However, the Raptors have closed within one game of Boston after it has lost five of its last six games. The Celtics will be looking to go 2-2 on their four-game road trip with a win tonight in Denver against the 26-23 Nuggets. However, the Nuggets are looking to wrap of their five-game homestand with a fourth win and Denver is an impressive 19-6 at the Pepsi Center on the season. Boston: The Celtics led most of the game at the defending champion Warriors on Saturday, before falling just short in a 109-105 loss. Irving was brilliant in Saturday's setback, scoring 37 points on 13-of-18 shooting while going 5-of-6 from three-point range. However, Stephen Curry "one-upped" him with 49 points! Boston's recent slump is just the latest indicator that Brad Stevens needs a tune-up for the Boston engine, as Celtics rank last in NBA offensive efficiency since mid-December. With Hayward out, Boston has falled to 23rd in scoring (102.9 PPG) and ranks 24th by making 44.7% of its shots. However, great defense has kept Boston atop the East, as the Celtics rank first in FG percentage (43.3) and second in points allowed (98.5 per). Denver: The Nuggets followed up a 130-118 Thursday win over the Knicks by edging the Mavs 91-89 on Saturday. Being able to win a high-scoring game and a grind-it-out game is a good sign for the team. "To be a good team in the NBA, you have to be able to win (playing) different styles," head coach Michael Malone told reporters. "... It shows that late in the game, you have to be able execute on offense. And at the end of the game, you gotta be able to get timely stops." The Nuggets aren't worrying about the finals but they are focused on making the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. They occupy the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference after winning three in a row and are just 1 1/2 games behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the sixth seed (note: New Orleans just lost DeMarcus Cousins for teh season). The pick: I realize Denver owns an impressive home record (see above) but the Nuggets have lost two home games in January to the sad-sack Atlanta Hawks and equally inept Phoenix Suns, plus nearly let one slip away against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night. Boston has an excellent 16-7 SU record on the road and is a remarkable 9-1 ATS as a dog, Make Boston a 10* play. |
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01-29-18 | Kansas -2 v. Kansas State | Top | 70-56 | Win | 100 | 13 h 12 m | Show |
The set-up: The 17-4 Kansas Jayhawks (6-2 in Big 12) are currently ranked No. 5 in the latest AP poll (a new poll will be released Monday afternoon), as thy head to Manhattan Kansas to take on in-state and Big 12 rival Kansas State. The Wildcats are 16-5 (5-3 in Big 12) and are looking to avenge a one-point loss suffered in Lawrence just two weeks ago (Jan. 13). Kansas leads the overall series with Kansas State, 194-93, including having won 55 of the last 60 meetings dating to Feb. 12, 1994. Kansas: Devonte Graham scored 23 points and Malik Newman hit two go-ahead free throws with 15 seconds left to provide Kansas that 73-72 win in the first meeting. Kansas features a four-guard lineup in which Graham ( leads in scoring (17.3) and assists (7.3). The remaining three starting guards are Mykhailiuk (16.8 & 4.0), Vick (13.4 & 5.5) and Newman (11.9 & 4.9). The 7-0 Azubuike (13.9 & 7.6) is the fifth starter. No other player scores as much as 5.0 PPG. Mykhailiuk scored 24 points and Newman added 15 and a team-high seven rebounds in the Jayhawks’ 79-68 victory over Texas A&M on Saturday but the Jayhawks lost last Tuesday 85-80 at Oklahoma. The Sooners fouled center Udoka Azubuike repeatedly in the second half to come from behind, as Azubuike missed all but one of his eight free throws. Kansas coach Bill Self blamed himself for not taking Azubuike out in crunch time, and said he expects other teams to do the same thing if he leaves in his big man, who is shooting 37.5 percent from the line. "Bad decision," Self said after Tuesday's game. "It was on me, for this game. I did not do our team any favors Kansas State: The 6-8 Dean Wade has taken center stage for Kansas State over the last two weeks. He kicked off a streak of five consecutive 20-point outings with 22 in that 73-72 loss to the Jayhawks back on Jan. 13 and capped it with 20 points and eight rebounds as the Wildcats pushed their winning streak to four games in a 56-51 win over Georgia on Saturday. The winning run has corresponded with the insertion into the lineup of backup PG Cartier Diarra. Starting guard Kamau Stokes (13.4 & 4.6 APG) is sidelined with a broken bone in his foot (happened against against Texas Tech on ). Diarra (6.9) has averaged 13.2 points per game in his six starts. Guard Barry Brown also has picked up the slack. He's averaging 22.0 points in those games, compared with his team-leading 17.3 on the season. Getting back to Wade, he's averaging 16.2 & 6.5, while guard Sneed (11.0 & 4.4) also adds double digits. The pick: Kansas State coach Bruce Weber has his team playing very well. KSU has not trailed in a conference game since a brief one-point deficit in the first half against Oklahoma back on Jan. 16. The Wildcats defeated the Sooners 87-69 with a second-half eruption, then led wire-to-wire at home against TCU and at Baylor. In their most recent game, they overcame a second-half deficit to defeat Georgia 56-51 Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. However, as note already, this series is lopsided in Kansas' favor. Then again, not as much as it was a decade ago. Kansas won 25 straight games between 1983 and 2007 on the Wildcats' home floor but Kansas-State has won four of the last 10 games in Manhattan. Kansas' Bill Self, in his 15th season, has won all but one conference championship in his time there. He relies on strong guard play, a dependable big man, at least away from the free-throw line (see above), and a solid defense. The Wildcats may be 11-1 at home this season but these are the type of games Kansas has been winning against Kansas State (and the rest of the Big 12, as well), for years. Make the Jayhawks a 10* play. |
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01-28-18 | Bucks -2 v. Bulls | Top | 110-96 | Win | 100 | 8 h 3 m | Show |
The set-up: The Milwaukee Bucks are 2-0 since dismissing head coach Jason Kidd but both games were played at home against lower-rung teams like Phoenix (17-32) and Brooklyn (18-32). The 25-22 Bucks will be on the road on Sunday against the Bulls but while Chicago is just 18-31 overall, one has to note that after a 3-20 start, the Bulls have gone a playoff-worthy 15-11 in their last 26 games. That's despite coming into this contest on a three-game slide. Milwaukee: All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (28.5-10.2-4.6) returned from a two-game absence on Friday and looked refreshed while collecting 41 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes. Shooting guard Khris Middleton, one of teh NBA's more underrated players who is averaging 20.4-5.2-4.2, pointed to joy as one of the reasons for the easy win. "That's what we're getting back to, just having fun," Middleton told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We're playing for one another. When we're having fun and relaxed, but we play hard we're one of the best teams, I feel like. The last two nights we showed it. Granted, it wasn't against some of the best teams, but we feel like we can do that every night." The Bucks remain inside the Eastern Conference's playoff picture after winning back-to-back games under interim coach Joe Prunty, as they visit the United Center as the No. 8 seed but with a 3 1/2-game gap between them and the 9th-seeded Pistons. Chicago: The Bulls are having some trouble finding a rhythm with starting PG Kris Dunn (13.7-4.6-6.4) out with a concussion and Zach LaVine working his way into the rotation off a severe knee injury. "Kris (is) obviously our best push guard and getting the ball down in a hurry and is our best player in our flow offense," Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "We're still adjusting without Kris, who obviously has been a big part of what we are doing here. We are trying to get Zach reintegrated into what we are doing as well. Some if it is moving parts, understanding where guys are on the floor." LaVine went 3-of-17 from the floor in Friday's loss and is shooting 38.2 percent through seven games, averaging 13.6 & 4.6. Big man Lauri Markkanen (1715.3 & 7.7) has been one of the league's best rookies and the return of Nikola Mirotic (17.1 & 6.4 in 24 games), has made the Bulls a competitive team. The pick: Chicago has won the two previous games this season (both at Milwaukee in Dec.) by similar scores, 115-109 and 115-106. However, Chicago has struggled mightily without guard Kris Dunn, who remains out with concussion symptoms. The Bulls have lost three of four without Dunn and Milwaukee's Antetokounmpo, after missing the previous two games with right knee soreness, finished Friday's victory with 41 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. He got an extended eight-game break by missing those two game and it seemingly provided him with the rest he needed, if results mean anything! Make Milwaukee an 8* play. |
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01-28-18 | Purdue v. Indiana +11 | Top | 74-67 | Win | 100 | 8 h 47 m | Show |
The set-up: The Purdue Boilermakers were pushed for 40 minutes for one of the few times in Big Ten play this past Thursday versus No. 25 Michigan, eventually coming away with their 11th consecutive conference win,. Purdue is 20-2 overall this season (including 9-0 in Big Ten play) and riding a 16-game winning streak. The Boilermakers may be ranked "only" No. 3 in the latest AP poll but the way the team is shooting from long-range and playing defense (see below), the Boilermakers can make a claim they have the best team in the country. Purdue will venture into Assembly Hall in Bloomington, In. on Sunday, to take on the 12-9 Indiana Hoosiers (5-4 in Big Ten play). The Hoosiers are perhaps the conference's most Jekyll-and-Hyde team when it comes to playing at home versus on the road, going 4-0 at Assembly Hall during league action but just 1-4 away from Bloomington. Purdue: The Boilermakers enjoy a size advantage in just about every game with 7-2 Isaac Haas (14.1 & 5.30 and 7-3 Matt Haarms (5.8 & 3.8) patrolling the paint. Sophomore guard Carsen Edwards (17.0-3.8-3.1) leads the team in scoring, followed by 6-8 senior forward Vincent Edwards (15.6 & 7.3), who is scored a career-high 30 points against Michigan. Purdue averages 85.1 PPG (15th), while shooting 50.8% as team (11th). That includes the nation's second-best three-point percentage of 44.2. Purdue is holding opponents to 38.7% shooting (38.7), while allowing just 63.4 PPG (16th). Indiana: The Hoosiers are coming off maybe their most disheartening road loss of the season, as despite shooting 56.8 percent, they committed 18 turnovers to allow Illinois to get its first conference win (1-8) in a 73-71 decision on Wednesday. The 6-8 Juwan Morgan, who is one of only two Big Ten players who rank inside the top-10 in the conference in scoring (16.0), rebounding (7.1) and field-goal percentage (59.8), is averaging 26.5 points on 22-of-32 shooting over his last two games. The second-leading scorer (and the only other Indiana player in double digits) is Robert Johnson (13.6) but he was held to eight points in Wednesday's loss, after averaging 16.4 PPG over his previous 10 outings. The pick: Purdue and Virginia are the only Power-5 schools that remain undefeated in conference play. Could Purdue fall victim here to Indiana, which is a perfect 4-0 vs. Big Ten foes at home? Hoosiers head coach Archie Miller could sure use a 'marquee win" and this would sure qualify. All good things must come to an end. "Upset alert" today in Bloomington. Make Indiana a 10* play. |
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01-27-18 | Virginia Tech v. Notre Dame -3 | Top | 80-75 | Loss | -104 | 22 h 42 m | Show |
The set-up: Both Virginia Tech (14-6, 3-4 ACC) and Notre Dame ( (13-7, 3-4 ACC) have been in the top-25 at one point this season but that's not the case now, as the teams square off at the Joyce Center in South Bend. The Hokies had lost two straight games but beat No. 10 North Carolina on Monday, 80-69. As for Notre Dame, the Irish have lost their last four games, after a 67-58 loss at Clemson in their last outing. Virginia Tech: The Hokies have a nice six-man rotation, with five players scoring in double digits The 6-6 Clarke just misses, but is a valuable contributor at 8.7 PPG & a team-high 6.9 RPG. Guard Hill (14.9) is the leading scorer and joined in double digits by PG Robinson (12.5 & 5.5 APG). The 6-10 Blackshear (13.5 & 6.5) is the team's best frontcourt player. Va. Tech shoots well, ranking third in the nation in field-goal percentage (51.8), second in the ACC in points per game at 85.4) (15th in the nation) and first in the ACC in three-point percentage at 39.7 (25th in the nation). Notre Dame: Injuries continue to hurt Notre Dame, as guard Matt Farrell (15.7 & 5.3 APG) will join fellow starters Bonzie Colson (21.4 & 10.4) and D.J. Harvey (5.8) on the sidelines Saturday with an ankle bone bruise. The Fighting Irish continue to struggle offensively in wake of all the injuries, averaging just 61.6 PPG over their last five. The Irish will lean heavily on senior forward Martinas Geben (10.0 & 8.1) and sophomore guard T.J. Gibbs (14.9) to put up points on Saturday. Geben is one of five players averaging a double-double in ACC action (12.6 points, 10.9 rebounds), while Gibbs is sixth in the conference in three-point percentage (40.7) and seventh in assist/turnover ratio (2.21). The pick: Virginia Tech may shoot well (see above) but the Hokies have turned the ball over 10 or more times in 15 of their 19 games this season (note: have 41 TOs in their last three games). Injuries have crippled Notre Dame but the Fighting Irish are still playing smart basketball, committing the fewest fouls in the NCAA at 13.2 per game. Make Notre Dame a 10* play. |
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01-27-18 | Tennessee -3 v. Iowa State | Top | 68-45 | Win | 100 | 18 h 47 m | Show |
The set-up: The 22nd-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (14-5) look to record a sixth win in seven games when they visit Hilton Coliseum on Saturday to take on the 11-8 Iowa State Cyclones as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Tennessee raced out to a 17-point halftime lead and then held on for a 67-62 home win against Vanderbilt in its last game. As for Iowa State, the Cyclones fell behind early and never recovered in a 73-57 loss at Texas on Monday. Tennessee: Jordan Bowden broke out of a shooting slump Tuesday just in time to beat Vanderbilt. He scored 19 points and tied a career high with five three-pointers, after entering the night shooting 25 percent in conference games. Bowden (10.3) is one of four guards averaging between 6.3 and 10.3 PPG. However, the team's top-two producers are the 6-7 Williams (16.5 & 6.2) and 6-5 small forward Schofield (12.8 & 5.8). Tennessee leads the SEC in assists per game (14.6), ranks second in field-goal percentage (45.6) and third in scoring offense (76.5), scoring margin (plus-3.5) and free-throw percentage (77.3). Iowa State: Nick Weiler-Babb and Lindell Wigginton finished with 15 points each, while Cameron Lard added a double-double (12 & 12) to go along with three blocks, in the Cyclones' loss vs. Texas. Wigginton a two-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honoree, is averaging 20.2 points and 3.6 three-pointers in the last five outings, as well as a team-leading 16.2 PPG on the season. Meanwhile, fellow freshman, the 6-9 Lard, is averaging 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in six career starts (12.1 & 7.3 on the season). Iowa State is one of four programs in the six major conferences to have two freshmen averaging at least 12 points (minimum 10 games played), joining California, Duke and Kentucky. Veteran guards Jackson (15.5) and Weiler-Babb (12.2-7.2-7.2) are also big-time contributors. The pick: The Big 12/SEC Challenge features 11 games on Saturday between two of the top conferences in the nation. Data analyst Ken Pomeroy has the Big 12 ranked No. 1, and the SEC No. 4. It's hard to ignore that Iowa State has won its last five games against top-25 non-conference teams at Hilton Coliseum but the Cyclones have lost seven seniors from last year's team that reached the Sweet 16. Tennessee is worth an 8* play. |
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01-27-18 | Georgia +7.5 v. Kansas State | Top | 51-56 | Win | 100 | 16 h 42 m | Show |
analysis coming |
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01-27-18 | Texas Tech v. South Carolina +3 | Top | 70-63 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 43 m | Show |
The set-up: It's a day filled with games from the Big 12/SEC Challenge and it starts at 12 noon ET when the 16-4 and 14th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders visit Columbia, South Carolina to take on the 13-7 South Carolina Gamecocks. The Big 12 and SEC split their annual matchup last season, 5-5. That snapped the Big 12's three-year streak of winning the challenge. Oddly enough, the Big 12/SEC Challenge does not feature a top-25 matchup on the card (note: Kentucky at West Virginia is slotted in prime time but the Wildcats fell out of the top-25 on Monday after being ranked for 68 straight weeks. However, Trae Young and Oklahoma at Alabama and/or the Red Raiders versus the Gamecocks could steal the show before the Wildcats and Mountaineers tip off. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders fell at Oklahoma on Jan. 9, then dropped back-to-back road games to unranked Texas and Iowa State last week, before pulling out of the slide with a 75-70 home victory over Oklahoma State on Tuesday. Senior guard Keenan Evans was a combined 5-of-20 from the floor in the losses at Texas and Iowa State but he found his shooting stroke on Tuesday and scored 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Evans leads the Red Raiders in scoring at 17.1 PPG ((3.1 RPG & 3.4 APG). Joining him in double figures are a pair of 6-5 freshman guards, Jarrett Culver (10.9 & 4.2) and Zhaire Smith (10.1 & 4.6). Tech relies on its top-notch defense, holding opponents to 62.0 PPG (7th) on 39.3% shooting (16th). South Carolina; The Gamecocks are fresh off a 77-72 victory on the road against No. 20 Florida and can add another "quality win" to their NCAA Tournament credentials. The South Carolina duo of 6-9 forward Chris Silva and guard Wesley Myers combined for 40 points in the win over Florida. The Gamecocks also nailed 11 of 21 three-pointers. Silva leads the team in scoring (14.7) and rebounding (8.0) with only guard Booker (11.1 & 3.2) joining him in double digits. All Frank Martin teams must play defense and this year's edition is no exception, allowing 65.8 PPG (38th). The set-up: The Gamecocks will be facing their fourth consecutive ranked opponent and are looking to move to 3-1 in that span. South Carolina sandwiched wins over Kentucky and Florida around a home loss to Tennessee but note that the victory over the Gators on Wednesday gave the program its first road win over a ranked opponent in nearly two years. FAU senior transfer guard Frank Bookeis r now scoring in double digits most nights, taking some of the pressure off Silva. Meanwhile, Chris Beard's Texas Tech team has been slugging it out in the tough Big 12 and is beginning to show some wear and tear. This trip to Colonial Life Arena is likely an unwelcome one at this time of the season. Make South Carolina an 8* play. |
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01-26-18 | Pacers v. Cavs -5 | Top | 108-115 | Win | 100 | 12 h 8 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cleveland Cavaliers have never recovered from their 99-92 loss at Golden State on Christmas Day, entering tonight's game just 3-10 to fall to 27-19. The Cavs are now 6 1/2 games back of the top-seeded Celtics, five game back of the second-seeded Raptors and incredibly, only 3 1/2 games up on the eighth-seed 76ers (chew on that for awhile!). A team meeting and an airing of grievances hardly seems to have helped and the Cavs will welcome the 26-22 Indiana Pacers to Quicken Loans Arena looking to avenge three previous losses this season to the Pacers. Indiana has won seven of its last 10 after building a 38-point lead in the third quarter and cruising past the Phoenix Suns 116-101 on Wednesday. Indiana: The Pacers added to Cleveland's misery by overcoming a 22-point deficit to down the Cavaliers 97-95 on Jan. 12, after winning the first two meetings, 124-107 at Cleveland and 106-102 at Indiana. Victor Oladipo was named to his first All-Star Game on Tuesday and celebrated with 21 points and nine assists in 33 minutes against the Suns. Oladipo is averaging 24.1-5.2-4.0 and scored 19 points in the Jan. 12 win while Lance Stephenson (8.6-5.6-3.0) collected 16 points and 11 rebounds in that one plus also played strong defense against Cleveland superstar LeBron James. The Pacers shoot very well (47.9% as team ranks 4th) but would surely like to get a little better point production, as they average 106.4 PPG (12th). Cleveland: The Cavs held a team meeting on Monday that included coach Tyronn Lue and general manager Koby Altman and reportedly it got quite heated. However, nothing changed on the court as the team dropped a 114-102 decision at San Antonio on Tuesday. "When it gets tough, we've just got to stay together," Lue told reporters. "Some guys are frustrated because they missed shots. Some guys are frustrated because they can't get their rhythm. Some guys are frustrated when they get scored on. So, I think it's a combination of a lot of things. But for the most part, (we've) just got to stay together and continue to play the game." Lue signaled after Tuesday's loss that there would be changes coming to the lineup but LBJ (26.8-7.9-8.6) will naturally be expected to carry the load. The Cavs have struggled tremendously to make virtually anything work with Isaiah Thomas on the court, as in his eight games, he may be averaging 15.9 PPG but he's shooting just 39.1%, including 28.0% on threes. Lue plans to start Tristan Thompson (5.3 & 5.7) at center and slide Kevin Love (18.4 & 9.4) back to power forward, which means Jae Crowder (8.7 & 3.3) goes to the bench. Either way, the Cavs HAVE to find a way to improve a defense that is the league's second-worst, including THE worst over the team's last 15 past games. The pick: The Cavs are a mind-numbing 12-33-1 ATS, which includes an unfathomable 3-18-1 at home.That said, in a 'TRIPLE-REVENGE" situation, I have to be on the Cavs. Make Cleveland a 10* play. |
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01-26-18 | Detroit +12.5 v. Wright State | Top | 55-87 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 23 m | Show |
The set-up: The Detroit Mercy Titans are just 6-15 on the season (2-6 in Horizon League play) and will travel to the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio to take on the 15-6 Wright State Raiders, who are tied atop the Horizon League standings at 7-1 with Northern Kentucky. Wright State: The Raiders score a more modest 71.4 PPG (250th) but play solid defense, allowing 66.5 PPG (48th). Wright State also has a nice trio of guards in Benzinger (14.8 & 4.8), Mitchell (11.1 & 7.1) and Hughes (9.6 & 3.2 APG) plus also has the 6-9 Love in the frontcourt, who is almost averaging a double-double on the season at 11.4 & 9.1. The Raiders had their eight-game winning streak snapped last Saturday, falling 66-61 at the Milwaukee Panthers. Wright State fell behind by 37-30 margin at halftime and although they took a 59-58 lead with less than five minutes to play, the Raiders couldn’t stay perfect in conference play after Milwaukee held Wright State scoreless for the final 3:18 of regulation. The set-up; There can be doubt about which the better team is but the Raiders don't have the offensive 'punch' needed to be a dependable favorite. Wright State may be 9-1 at home and holding opponents to 57.6 PPG but the Raiders are also averaging only 64.8 PPG in their home games on the offensive end. Detroit has been held under 66 points just twice in its 21 games this season. Take the big points and make Detroit a 10* play. |
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01-25-18 | Kings +10.5 v. Heat | Top | 89-88 | Win | 100 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
analysis coming |
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01-25-18 | Michigan +11.5 v. Purdue | Top | 88-92 | Win | 100 | 12 h 32 m | Show |
The set-up: Third-ranked Purdue (19-2 / 8-0 Big Ten) puts its ranking and 15-game winning streak on the line when it hosts 17-5 Michigan (6-3 Big Ten), which is currently 25th in the latest AP poll. A win would move Purdue to 9-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in program history and give the Boilermakers a sweep of the season series with the Wolverines, following a 70-69 triumph in Ann Arbor on Jan. 9. The Wolverines just finished a stretch of eight games in 22 days with six wins but have reached the 70-point mark just once in their last five contests and will now face a Purdue squad that has held three straight opponents to 50 or fewer points. Michigan: The Wolverines beat Rutgers 62-47 on Sunday, rebounding from a 72-52 loss at Nebraska. The 6-11 Moritz Wagner (14.3 & 7.1) led the way with 16 points to go along with six rebounds in the win against Rutgers, after being held to a season-low two points in the loss to the Cornhuskers. Two big guards, Matthews (14.6 & 5.2) and Abdur-Rahkman (10.5-4.0-3.2) join Moritz in double digits on the season. Abdur-Rahkman is ranked second nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.38). John Beilein teams always play excellent defense an this one is no different, Michigan ranks third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 62.5 PPG. Purdue: Speaking of defense, Purdue holds opponents to 62.2 PPG (9th) on 37.7% shooting (4th). That goes nicely with an offense averaging 84.8 PPG (19th) on 50.3% shooting (10th).The Edwards' boys (not related), Carsen and Vince, lead the way for Purdue. Guard Carsen averages 17.2-4.0-3.1 and the 6-8 Vince adds 14.9 & 7.8. The 7-2 Haas (13.1 & 5.2) and PG Mathias (12.7-4.0-4.6) round out the double digit scorers. The pick: Purdue has won 10 consecutive Big Ten regular-season games dating back to last year and hopes to extend its home winning streak to 13 (9-0 this season) with a win here. However, Purdue has not beaten Michigan twice in one season since 2008 and narrowly edged Michigan 70-69 back on Jan. 9 in Ann Arbor, after taking the lead on free throw by Isaac Haas with four seconds remaining. The last three times Michigan has played as an underdog this season, the Wolverines won 59-52 at Texas (+ 5 1/2), lost 70-69 at home to Purdue (+ 1 1/2) and won 82-72 at Michigan St. (+ 9 1/2). This is too many points. Make Michigan a 10* play. |
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01-25-18 | College of Charleston v. Delaware +5.5 | Top | 62-54 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 31 m | Show |
The set-up: The College of Charleston Cougars won their second straight game and improved to 14-6 (5-3 CAA) on the season after defeating the Hofstra Pride, this past Saturday, 76-70. The Cougars will travel to the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, De, to take on the Delaware Blue Hens this Thursday night in CAA play. The Blue Hens lost their second consecutive game this past Saturday 76-64 to Northeastern, falling to 11-10 (4-4 CAA) on the season. College of Charleston: The Cougars fell behind by as many as 18 points in the first half against Hofstra, but tied the game at 54-all midway through the second half, before pulling ahead and winning by six points. Joe Chealey led the way for the Cougars with 33 points. He leads the team in scoring (18.4-4.6-3.2) and is joined by two other excellent scorers. They are fellow guard Grant Riller (16.3) and the 6-7 Jarrell Brantley (16.1 & 5.9). The Cougars are a solid defensive team, holding opponents to 66.6 PPG (52nd). Delaware: The Blue Hens took a 31-28 halftime lead against the Huskies but struggled to stop Northeastern in the second half, as the Huskies took a 60-49 lead with 6:31 left in regulation. Delaware is a perimeter-oriented team, led by guards Daly (17.1 & 5.9), Allen (14.1), Anderson (13.7 & 4.9) and Mosley (10.8-4.6-3.2). However, Anderson has been lost for the season to a knee injury. Delaware's lone frontcourt player of note is the 6-9 Carter (9.9 & 8.7) but he's scored exactly two points each, in the team's back-to-back losses. |
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01-24-18 | Auburn v. Missouri -2 | Top | 91-73 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 23 m | Show |
The set-up: Bruce Pearl entered his fourth season at Auburn off an 18-14 year, following season of just 15 and 11 wins, However, the Tigers did return all five starters. Still, no one predicted Auburn to be 17-2 (5-1 SEC) as the month of January nears its end. Missouri entered the current season off an 8-24 year (2-16 in SEC), after winning just nine and 10 games the previous two season. However, new head coach Cuonzo Martin had four starters returning plus boasted five-star recruits like the 6-10 Michael Porter Jr. and his 6-11 brother, Jontay Porter. However, Michael Porter's season ended after one game with a season-ending back injury. Still, Missouri is 13-6 (3-3 in SEC), giving the team more wins than in any of the past three season. Auburn: The Tigers had their 14-game win streak snapped with a 76-71 loss at Alabama a week ago Wednesday but rebounded for a 79-65 home win over Georgia on Saturday. Auburn likes to push the pace with its trio of talented guards, Bryce Brown (16.4), Mustapha Heron (15.0 & 5.1) and Jared Harper (12.5 & 5.2 APG). Getting out in transition likely will be key against Missouri’s height advantage, as Auburn doesn’t start anyone taller than 6-7 and 6-3 SF Desean Murray (10.8 & 7.3) is the team’s top rebounder. However, despite an undersized frontcourt which features the 6-7 McLemore (7.9 & 5.8) and the 6-8 Okeke (7.5 & 5.7) coming off the bench, Auburn has outrebounded 14 of its 19 opponents. As for scoring points, the Tigers are averaging a healthy 85.3 PPG (15th). Missouri: Without Michael Porter, Missouri has been balanced at the offensive end, with six player chipping in between 7.4 and 15.2 PPG. Graduate transfer guard Kassius Robertson (15.2) and 6-7 senior forward Jordan Barnett (14.5 & 6.2) are the only ones averaging in double digits. However, the Tigers have excellent frontcourt depth with 6-10 freshmen Jeremiah Tilmon (8.7 & 4.4) and 6-11 Jontay Porter (8.2 & 6.7) making an impact at both ends of the floor. Their emergence has pushed the 6-7 Kevin Puryear (9.4 & 4.8) to a reserve role. However, he could be a major factor having averaged 16.8 points and 8.9 rebounds in four career meetings with Auburn. The pick: Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is a little worried, as Auburn is 145th in the nation in three-point field goal defense and Missouri features three players -- Jordan Barnett, Kassius Robertson and Jordan Geist -- who all shoot better than 40 percent from behind the arc. Missouri is allowing 65.6 PPG (36th) and has held nine straight opponents under their season scoring average, while keeping its six SEC opponents an average of 14.8 points below their season averages. The Tigers are 9-1 SU at home, with their lone loss coming 77-75 to Florida in a game decided at the buzzer. Make Missouri a 10* play. |
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01-24-18 | Raptors -6 v. Hawks | Top | 108-93 | Win | 100 | 13 h 60 m | Show |
The set-up: The Toronto Raptors begin a stretch in which they will play 10 of 13 in Air Canada Centre on Friday against Utah. The Raptors are 17-3 at home and 31-14 overall, just 1 1/2 games back of the Celtics for the East's best record. They hope to head back to Toronto on a winning note, as they visit Philips Arena to take on the 14-32 Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. However, the Raptors are off a 115-109 loss at Minnesota on Saturday, the team's fourth loss in seven games following having won 17 of 20. The Hawks' 14 wins are tied with the Magic and Kings for the fewest in the NBA but Atlanta is on its best run of the season with four victories in its last six games. Toronto: Saturday's loss at Minnesota wasted a phenomenal effort fby Kyle Lowry, who posted a season-high 40 points in 34 turnover-free minutes, as the team as a whole faded in the second night of a back-to-back. "We've got to come out with a little bit more energy on the back-to-back, but it's no excuse," Lowry told reporters. However, Lowry's effort was great news for Toronto, in his fourth game back after sitting out three games with a back injury. The backcourt duo of Lowry (17.0-6.0-6.7) and DeRozan (25.0-4.2-5.0) 'drive the show' for Toronto, complemented by the frontcourt duo of PF Ibaka (13.6 & 6.0) and center Valanciunas (11.1 & 8.1). Atlanta: Taurean Prince (12.4 & 5.2) had 17 points, as 12 different Atlanta players got into the scoring column in the win over the Jazz. The victory gives the Hawks a 7-7 mark after a 7-25 start. "We've got to keep it going," Prince told reporters after matching his scoring total from the previous four games combined. PG Schroder is averaging 22.2 points and seven assists through the first five games of the homestand (Atlanta is 3-2) and 20.0 PPG on teh season, along with a team-leading 6.6 APG. 6-10 Wake Forest rookie John Collins looks to be "a keeper," averaging 10.6 & 6.9 in about 22 minutes per game. The pick: Toronto has won its first two games against Atlanta this season by an average of 23.5 points and has had three days off since losing at Minnesota (Sat.) in a back-to-back situation. Atlanta is just 4-10 at home against Eastern Conference opponents and I don't see them having much luck staying with the Raptors, who rank third in the NBA in averaging 111.3 PPG, trailing only the Warriors and Rockets. Make Toronto a 10* play! |
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01-23-18 | Creighton -3.5 v. St. John's | Top | 68-63 | Win | 100 | 13 h 6 m | Show |
The set-up: The Bluejays are 15-5 (5-3 in Big East) but are hoping history doesn't repeat itself. Just about a year ago, Creighton was 18-1 but struggled to maintain a .500 record the rest of the way when it lost Maurice Watson Jr. for the season due to a mid-season ACL tear. Creighton just found out that the 6-9 Martin Krampelj (11.9 & 8.1) has suffered a similar fate to Watson. Watson's torn ACL contributed to its 7-9 finish in 2016-17. The Bluejays visit St. John's while adjusting to life without Krampelj to play the Red Storm. St. John's is 10-10 on the season but 0-8 in Big East play. Creighton: “Obviously, we’re adjusting to life without Martin. We had some lineups out there that we haven’t had out there all year long. It’s going to take a little time for us to adjust to that," Bluejays head coach Greg McDermott told the Omaha World-Herald. Guards Foster (19.3) and Thomas (14.0 & 4.0 lead one of the nation's top-scoring teams, as Creighton averages 81,4 PPG (6th) on 50.4% shooting (10th). With Krampelj out, McDermott will rely more heavily on a group of five players contributing between 5.4 and 9.4 PPG. Leading that group are the 6-10 Hegner (9.4 & 2.8) plus 6-7 gaurd Harrell (8.0), who is now the team's top rebounder at 7.0 RPG with Krampelj done for the season. St. John's: Chris Mullins' third season back at his alma mater is not going well considering the team's 0-8 start in league play. Yes, the Red Storm are the only Big East team winless in league play but each of their last four losses - and six of their eight setbacks in league play - have been by seven points or fewer. One of those defeats came on Jan. 3, when the Bluejays overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to edge St. John's 78-71 in Omaha. PG Shamorie Ponds (20.7-5.4-4.9) is coming off 33 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals Saturday versus Georgetown for his second 30-point effort in three games. Fellow sophomore guard Justin Simon managed only eight points against the Hoyas after scoring a career-high 28 three days earlier versus Xavier, but he is still averaging 11.6 & 7.4 on the season. A pair of 6-7 players, Ahmed (11.7 & 4.7) and Clark (11.6 & 4.0) round out the team's double digit scorers, as guard LoVett (14.9) was lost to a season-ending knee injury after just seven games. The pick:The Red Storm play a lot of tight games but they still can't 'buy' a win.There are not enough points here to take, as I expect St. John's to fall short yet again, against a good-shooting and high-scoring Creighton team (see above) that also ranks third in Division I in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68) and second in defensive rebounds per game (30.6). Make Creighton a 10* play. |
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01-23-18 | Cavs +1.5 v. Spurs | Top | 102-114 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 27 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cleveland Cavaliers season has been spiraling in the wrong direction ever since the team's 99-92 Christmas Day loss in Oakland to the Warriors. That defeat was the beginning of a 3-9 run in which the latest loss came this past Saturday in a 148-124 home loss to OKC. Cleveland has lost by margins of 34, 28 and 24 over the past six games and the defensive effort against Oklahoma City was just atrocious, as the Thunder scored at least 33 points in every quarter. The 27-18 Cavs (now six games back of the Celtics and only four games ahead of the No. 8-seeded 76ers) will travel to San Antonio in an attempt to "right the ship" but the problem is that the 30-18 Spurs own the best home record in the NBA at 19-3, despite dropping a 94-86 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday; Cleveland "It's embarrassing. It's not acceptable," PG Isaiah Thomas told reporters after the loss to OKC. "We can only go up from here, that's the only positive about that. We've got to really look in the mirror, look at ourselves and get some pride."LBJ (26.8-7.8-8.7) continues to post superlative numbers but he is more interested in figuring out his team's porous play. Speculation regarding the status of coach Tyronn Lue has arisen and that deeply concerns James, who doesn't see Lue as the problem but stopped short of giving his coach an endorsement. "I don't know what's going to happen with our team," James told reporters. "I have no idea what conversations have been going on." Kevin Love (18.6 & 9.4) played just three minutes due to an undisclosed illness in the OKC and while he's is expected to play here, he's also been the center of some recent controversy. San Antonio: Sunday's loss to the Pacers snapped a 14-game home winning streak for the Spurs, as they committed 20 turnovers. "It happens a little too much with our team," center Pau Gasol told reporters afterward. "We get a little bit out of whack. We don't execute, we're a little sloppy at times and we pay the price." The Spurs have not played up to their reputation this season, as Kawhi Leonard has played in just nine games due to a quadriceps injury that is reportedly causing issues between Leonard and the organization. Coach Gregg Popovich decided to shake things up on Sunday by moving veteran point guard Tony Parker (12 points and five assists in 20 minutes on Sunday) to the bench and starting Dejounte Murray, who had eight points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes. The pick: In recent seasons, a game between the Cavs and Spurs would have been one of the marquee contests of the NBA calendar but the 2017-18 season is different. Both teams are in third place in their respective conferences and because of injuries for San Antonio and a dead-legged and greying roster for Cleveland, the Cavs and Spurs are not currently in the discussion as teams that can win the league championship. The Cavs are a mess and while the Spurs won both of last season's meetings, including a 103-74 home romp, the team's Sunday home loss to the Pacers shows that these are not your father's Spurs. How low can the Cavs go? I say they snap out of it right here against a team also struggling with distractions. Make Cleveland a 10* play. |
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01-23-18 | Kansas +1.5 v. Oklahoma | Top | 80-85 | Loss | -107 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
The set-up: The Kansas Jayhawks are back up to No. 5 in the latest AP poll and will travel to the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma with a 16-3 overall record, including 6-1 in the Big 12 (no other school is better than 5-3). The Oklahoma Sooners went from a Final 4 team in the 2015-16 season (29 wins) to 11-20 last season but with four starters back this year plus the addition of standout freshman Trae Young, Lon Kruger has the Sooners back on the national stage. The Sooners are currently 14-4 (4-3 in Big 12) and ranked 12th but that's after being ranked 4th in the nation before losing twice this past week. Kansas: The Jayhawks have won 13 straight regular season Big 12 titles and are two games up in the loss column as the end of January nears. Bill Self may have lost the recruiting battle over Young to Kruger but the Jayhawks come in with an offense averaging 84.2 PPG (23rd) on 50.2% shooting (13th). PG Graham (18.1-3.6-7.3) leads a perimeter-oriented starting-five which consists of four guards and center 7-0 Udoka Azubuike (14.5 & 7.7). Joining Graham are Mykhailiuk (16.8 & 3.8), Vick (14.1) and Newman (11.3). Graham makes the Jayhawks go offensively, both in scoring himself and creating for his teammates, but he's also Kansas' best defender and figures to draw the assignment of slowing Young most of the game Oklahoma: Young averages 30.5 PPG but also 9.7 APG, leading Oklahmoa to an average of 91.6 PPG (2nd). Only two other Sooners reach double digits, guard James (11.9) and the 6-9 Manek (11.1 & 5.1) but the real problem for Oklahoma is a defense allowing 81.6 PPG, which ranks 335th. The Sooners raced to a 12-1 start but are coming off back-to-back losses, the most recent being an overtime loss at Oklahoma State, despite Young scoring 48 points. The pick: Yes, the Sooners are unbeaten at home this season and own a 13-game home winning streak but this team just doesn't play much defense, makes way too many turnovers (Young has 12 himself in a loss to Kansas St.) and the team often falls in love with attempting too many threes, often taking bad shots. Kansas' "pedigree" wins the day here, just like at West Va. on Jan. 15. Make the Jayhawks an 8* play. |
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01-22-18 | Wizards -1.5 v. Mavs | Top | 75-98 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 15 m | Show |
The set-up: The 26-20 Washington Wizards will visit Dallas and it's the midpoint of a five-game road trip for the Wizards. Washington dropped a 133-109 decision at Charlotte to begin the trip and was similarly terrible on defense while falling behind 29-19 after the first quarter in Detroit on Friday, before earning a 122-112 win that snapped a two-game skid The Wizards currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference. The Mavericks endured a slow start in their last game as well but didn't have enough to overcome the deficit after falling behind 33-20 in the first quarter at Portland. Dallas was down by as many of 18 points in the first half at Portland, before getting within five in the second of a 117-108 loss. The Mavericks just didn't have enough down the stretch. "The first half, I thought it was bad," head coach Rick Carlisle said. "I thought the second half was very good. But you've got to play both halves, so we've got to get a better start." Washington: The Wizards' turnaround was sparked by reserve forward Kelly Oubre Jr. who not only played his customary strong defense in the win but continued a recent scoring binge by pouring in 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting in 31 minutes. Oubre is averaging 19.5 points over the last four games and is 14-of-23 from three-point range in that span. He's now averaging 12.2 PPG, third-highest on the team. Washington scored 45 in the third period at Detroit, with 26 points coming from Bradley Beal and John Wall, to take a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter. SG Beal (23.8-4.3-3.7) leads Washington in scoring and PG Wall (19.5-3.6-9.3) is second. Dallas: In losses to the LA Lakers, Denver and, most recently, at Portland on Saturday, the Mavs have found themselves down big early, only to fight back in the second half. The final scores have been relatively close, which only leads to extra frustration. "We're coming out too sluggish, too lackadaisical and too nonchalant," point guard Dennis Smith Jr. told reporters after the 117-108 setback. "Whatever word you want to use, we don't have the right disposition to start games out." Smith (14.7-3.9-4.5) is one of the NBA's top rookies this season, while Harrison Barnes (18.5 PPG) is again leading the Mavs in scoring and this season, he's also the team's top rebounder at 6.7 per game. However, Dallas does not score on a consistent basis (102.2 PPG ranks 23rd) and that's reflected in the team's 15-31 record (only the 13-32 Kings are worse in the West). The pick: Oddly enough, Dallas has pretty much owned Washington as of late. The Mavericks swept the season series in 2016-17, the sixth sweep in seven years. The Mavs will go for another season sweep here, as Dallas earned a 113-99 win at Washington back on Nov. 7, behind 31 points from Harrison Barnes. That said, the Wizards are the significantly better team in this game and with this pointspread, a win almost guarantees a cover. Mavs are just 9-15 SU at home and I'll make Washington a 10* play. |
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01-22-18 | Maryland -1.5 v. Indiana | Top | 68-71 | Loss | -106 | 11 h 30 m | Show |
The set-up: Maryland is 15-6 on the season but just 4-4 in Big Ten play as the Terps get set to visit Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana to take on the 11-8 Indiana Hoosiers (4-3 in Big Ten). The Terrapins had lost three of four games before beating Minnesota 77-66 at home in their last outing. As for the Hoosiers, they saw their three-game winning streak come to end Friday night, losing 85-57 at No. 9 Michigan State. Maryland: The Terps are led by the guard duo of Cowan (16.3-4.7-4.9) and Huerter (14.1-5.3-3.5). They are the only two double digit scorers on a Maryland team averaging 76.7 PPG (112th). A 'killer' was the loss of 6-7 sophomore Jackson for the season, after he was averaging 9.8 & 8.1 through 11 games. Huerter’s 19 points led the way vs. Minnesota, as four of the five Terrapin starters scored at least 13 points. Cowan added a career-high of 10 assists. 6-10 forward Bruno Fernando (9.8 & 6.0) and Huerter (5.3 RPG) have taken charge as the team’s rebounding leaders, after Justin Jackson suffered that season-ending shoulder injury in early December. Indiana: The Hoosiers shot just 33.9 percent from the floor in Friday's loss at Michigan State plus got outrebounded 45-27 by the host Spartans in suffering its most lopsided loss of the season. Understandably, head coach Archie Miller wants his team looking ahead, not back. “We have an opportunity (though) on Monday at home,” Indiana coach Miller said in his post-game radio interview. “That’s what our guys have to be locked in on.” like Maryland, Indiana has just two dopuble digit scorers, the 6-7 Morgan (14.8 & 7.2) and guard Johnson (14.0 & 4.4). The pick: Indiana is riding a four-game home win streak and is 9-3 SU overall this season in Bloomington, while the Terrapins are 1-4 in true road games and have dropped three straight. However, Maryland has won three of the five meetings with Indiana, including a 75-72 home win a season ago, since joining the Big Ten. Indiana has scored just 66 and 57 points in its last two games and I'm making Maryland a 10* play. |
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01-21-18 | Pacers v. Spurs -6 | Top | 94-86 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 33 m | Show |
The 30-17 San Antonio Spurs will welcome the road-weary Indiana Pacers (24-22) to the AT&T Center on Sunday night. The Spurs come into the game on the heels of an 86-83 loss at Toronto on Friday that gave them a 5-6 record in their past 11 games. Nine of those games came on the road and the Spurs went 3-6 away from home during that stretch. Indiana: Indiana was just brutal in going 2-of-25 from beyond the arc in Friday's loss at LA, after going 7-of-26 from three-point range at Portland on Thursday. Leading scorer Victor Oladipo was a combined 2-of-14 in the last two losses, after connecting on 7-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first two stops (both wins) on the trip. The Pacers are shooting percent from the floor on the season (47.8% which ranks 4th) and have shot less than 40 percent from the floor only four times this season, but that includes the last two games. Oladipo led the Pacers with 25 points against the Lakers and Domantas Sabonis finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Oladipo (24.3-5.3-4.0) and Sabonis (12.4 & 8.5) were the two players acquired from OKC in the Paul George trade and they've been terrific. Forward Myles Turner (13.9 & 6.5) missed his sixth straight game with a shoulder injury and forward Lance Stephenson didn't suit up against the Lakers because he was sick. It remains to be seen whether either will play Sunday. Sephenson (8.6 & 5.5) isn't having much luck on the road trip and is averaging four points so far, after going 1-of-18 from the floor over the last two contests, so maybe it's better if he doesn't play. San Antonio: The Spurs know all about players sitting out due to injury. The team announced Saturday evening that forwards Rudy Gay (right heel bursitis) and Kawhi Leonard (return from injury management) are out for the game against Indiana and that reserve guard Manu Ginobili (right thigh contusion) is questionable. San Antonio has been asking power forward LaMarcus Aldridge to carry the load but he struggled to 6-of-25 from the floor in Friday's 86-83 loss to the Raptors. Aldridge is averaging 22.6 points on 48.9 percent shooting for the season and still led the Spurs in scoring with 17 points at Toronto. Aldridge notched his 19th double-double of the season with his 17 points and 14 rebounds (8.6 RPG on the season), as the game marked the 36th time Aldridge has led the team in points, the most games a player has led his squad in points in the league. The pick: San Antonio is 19-2 at home (15-5-1 ATS), the best record in the NBA. The Spurs have won 14 straight home games, also a league-leading mark this season. The Spurs are averaging 107 points on 48.2 percent shooting in 21 home games but watch those numbers drop to 96 points and 43.3 percent shooting on the road. So, the fact that the Spurs will now play seven of their next eight games at home, has to be good news. As for the Pacers, the news is "not so good!" Make the Spurs a 10* play.. |
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01-21-18 | Boston College +10 v. Louisville | Top | 69-77 | Win | 100 | 13 h 27 m | Show |
The set-up: With Rick Pitino being forced out before the season began (I'm assuming all know the story), the Cardinals' 14-4 (4-1 in ACC) record has to be considered pretty good. Louisville will welcome the surprising 13-6 Boston College Eagles (3-3 in ACC) to the KFC Yum!. BC entered this season having won less than 10 games in three of its previous four seasons (9-23 last year and a high of 13 wins in that span), so one can see why I called the Eagles "surprising." Boston College: Even with an up-and-coming backcourt of Jerome Robinson and Ky Bowman, little was expected this season from a Boston College, a team which had won a total of two conference games in two years and no more than four in any of the previous four seasons. Boston College was chosen to finish 14th in the 15-team ACC in the preseason. However, with junior Robinson leading the way with 18.2 PPG and 6-1 sophomore Bowman averaging 16.4 PPG plus 7.1 RPG and a team-leading 5.1 APG, the duo is changing the perception of the Eagles.: Robinson has been a roll since the start of conference action, scoring a league-best 23.3 points per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the floor (fourth in the ACC) and 52.6 percent from 3-point range (second). Meanwhile, Bowman is the only player in the country to rank among the top-10 in scoring and assists plus the top-15 in rebounding.BC has kept it going despite losing the 6-8 Hawkins (12.4 & 9.1) to a season-ending knee injurie after just eight games. 6-8 forward Steffon Mitchell (7.2 & 7.9) has emerged as an inside force over the last four games, averaging 12.8 points and 8.5 boards, and he is poised to become the sixth freshman to lead the team in rebounding since 1972-73. Then there is the 6-11 Popovic, who has delivered a solid season at 9.4 & 5.9. Louisville: The Cardinals were projected to finish fifth in the ACC in the preseason poll as Rick Pitino was fired in October, with relatively raw assistant David Padgett tnamed as interim head coach. Louisville enters this contest having won three in a row after outlasting Notre Dame on the road 82-78 in double overtime on Tuesday. Quentin Snider (13.1 & 4.2 APG) is coming off one of the finest games of his career, as he matched a personal best with 22 points and dished out a season-high seven assists. 6-10 junior forward Ray Spalding (11.7 & 9.2) posted his fourth double-double in the last seven games on Tuesday, finishing with a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. The team's leading-scorer is the 6-7 Deng Adel (15.7 & 4.6), who has reached double figures in 20 of his last 21 outings dating back to last season (he scored nine in the one game he came up short in). The pick: BC is clearly on an upward surge but the Eagles are still looking to find a way to earn a conference win away from Conte Forum, which they have not done in 19 tries since defeating Virginia Tech on March 2, 2015. Also, I can't ignore that only four of the Eagles' defeats during their road conference losing streak have been decided by single digits. However, BC is 8-3 SU since the beginning of December, going 6-3 ATS, In that stretch, BC has beaten Duke as a 15-point home dog, lost at UVa as a 15 1/2-point dog, covered a as a home dog vs. Clemson and in its last outing, beat FSU as a a 3 1/2-point home dog. Upset alert! Make the Eagles an 8* play. |
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01-20-18 | Arizona State v. California +12.5 | Top | 81-73 | Win | 100 | 15 h 19 m | Show |
The set-up: The Arizona State Sun Devils were the last undefeated team in NCAA Division I, when the team stood at 12-0 in games played through Dec. 29. However, ASU's Pac 12 opener was at in-state rival Arizona on Dec. 30th and the Wildcats beat them, 84-78. Now, six games into conference play, ASU is 2-4 in the Pac 12 and 14-4, overall. Once ranked as high as No. 3 in the country just last month, the now 16th-ranked Sun Devils suddenly find themselves just battling to keep pace in the Pac-12 race, where they are tied for 9th with Oregon. Is it good news that ASU will travel to Berkeley Saturday night to face 7-12 Cal (1-5 in Pac 12), as the Bears have dropped five straight games by a combined 97 points? Arizona State: Senior guard Tra Holder was a key part of the team’s 12-0 start but his recent slump continued Wednesday when he missed 10 of his first 11 shots and finished with nine points in an 86-77 loss at Stanford. Holder still leads the team in scoring at 19.3 PPG but he's shot 23.9 percent and averaged 9.5 points over his last four contests. The Sun Devils allowed 46 points in the paint against Stanford and will need an improved effort against Cal big men Marcus Lee and Kingsley Okoroh.6-8 freshman forward Romello White (12.5 & 7.8) ended a mini-slump against the Cardinal, finishing with a team-high 19 points but the Sun Devils again struggled from three-point range after thriving from there during non-conference play. Holder is surrounded by two seniors, Evans (17.1-3.7-4.3) and Justice (14.1) on the perimeter, plus freshman guard Martin (10.0) has also contributed regularly. However, as noted, ASU has had trouble guarding players inside since league play began. Cal: The Bears are a young and rebuilding team. They were over-matched Thursday against No. 17 Arizona, which cruised to a 79-58 victory behind 20 points and 11 rebounds from star freshman Deandre Ayton. Cal boasts a promising freshman of its own in 6-7 forward Justice Sueing (13.9 & 5.9), who is averaging 19.2 points in Pac-12 play and registered 19 points and nine rebounds against the Wildcats. First-year coach Wyking Jones is also bullish on freshman guard Darius McNeill, who ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 11.8 PPG and teams with the veteran Coleman (17.2 PPG) in the backcourt. As noted in the ASU paragraph, the duo of 6-11 Lee (11.8 & 7.5) and the 7-1 Okoroh (5.9 & 5.0) are more than capable of exploiting ASU's "inside woes." The pick: California won three of its last four non-conference games and opened league play by overcoming a 17-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to beat Stanford 77-74. However, the Bears have since lost five straight contests by an average of 19.4 PPG. In fact, the Bears have had their three lowest-scoring games of the season in their last three outings. That sounds bad (an it is) but ASU has also somewhat unraveled and Cal has won four in a row against Arizona State. Make the Bears an 8* play. |
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01-20-18 | Mavs v. Blazers -5 | Top | 108-117 | Win | 100 | 15 h 6 m | Show |
The set-up: The Portland Trail Blazers are looking to make it a clean sweep of a three-game homestand when they host Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. In fact, 24-21 Portland will be going for its sixth straight home victory against the 15-30 Mavs, who are battling to stay out of the Western Conference 'basement,' currently occupied by the 13-32 Sacramento Kings. Dallas: The Mavs enter having lost five of seven but are still getting big performances from rookie PG Dennis Smith Jr., who led the way with 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting and five assists on Tuesday in the team's 105-102 loss at Denver. It marked the third time in the last four games that the NC State product scored 20 or more points, raising his season scoring average to 14.5 (3.1 RPG and 3.9 APG). Fellow young PG Yogi Ferrell (10.2-3.5-2.4) is enjoying a hot stretch as well, averaging 15.3 points on 53.5 percent shooting over the last four contests. SF Harrison Barnes leads the team in scoring (18.7) and rebounding (6.7) and while Nowitzki (12.2 & 5.5) is no longer an All Star, he's a dependable player. Portland: The Blazers watched a 20-point lead evaporate, before holding on for a 118-111 triumph over Phoenix on Tuesday. They then had a much better showing late on Thursday, holding the Indiana Pacers to 12 points in the fourth quarter to earn a 100-86 victory. "We just made plays when we needed to in the fourth quarter," Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts told reporters. "In the fourth quarter, it was good to see just the lead kind of expand without having very many mistakes." Portland will challenge Smith and Ferrell with its star guard tandem of Damian Lillard (25.0-4.8-6.5) and CJ McCollum (21.5-4.0-3.3). However, Portland is at its best when center Jusuf Nurkic (14.5 & 8.0) is producing. Nurkic delivered 19 points and 17 rebounds in Thursday's win and averages 15.2 points and 8.7 boards in wins while posting 13.7 and 7.3 in losses. The pick: The road team won each of the four meetings last season, with Dallas winning the two in Portland by a total of five points. However, Dallas is just 6-15 SU on the road this season while Portland's current five-game home winning streak is its longest of the season. This "more than reasonable" pointspread makes the Blazers a 10* play. |
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01-20-18 | Texas +9 v. West Virginia | Top | 51-86 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 59 m | Show |
The set-up: The West Virginia Mountaineers lost their season-opener 88-65 to Texas&M but then ripped off 15 straight wins, rising to No. 2 in the AP poll (highest since the Jerry West era). However, the Mountaineers have lost their edge by giving away two late-game leads in losses at Texas Tech (732-71) and home to Kansas (71-66). "We probably weren't comfortable being No. 2 in the country," head coach Bob Huggins said. "Our preparation wasn't what it needed to be." Now 15-3 (4-2 in Big 12) and ranked No. 6, West Virginia will welcome 12-6 Texas (3-3 Big 12) to Morgantown on Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns are coming off a 67-58 upset of No. 8 Texas Tech this past Wednesday but represent the only unranked opponent in a five-game stretch for West Virginia. Texas: The Longhorns feature a one-and-done prospect in the 6-11 Mohamed Bamba. He protects the rim with a 7-foot-9 wingspan that would rank as the longest in the NBA right now. He is second in the nation at 4.53 blocks per game and is also the only Big 12 player averaging a double-double at 11.9 points and 10.5 rebounds. He has four double-doubles in six conference games, after going for 15 and 11 Wednesday night during the upset of Texas Tech. That game saw the return of guard Kerwin Roach from a broken hand, who was cleared right before tip-off. Roach (10.8) had missed two games but scored 20 points after not having practiced for a week. The 6-9 Dylan Osetkowski leads the Longhorns with 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and junior Eric Davis Jr. (8.8) has been key for the Longhorns off the bench, averaging 13.8 points in 30.0 minutes in league play. West Virginia: The Mountaineers will look to snap a two-game skid, one which is even more frustrating because it's coincided with 6-8 junior Esa Ahmad returning from an academic suspension. He's averaged 16.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG in his two games back, BOTH West Va. losses. He's joins a talented group led by PG Carter (16.7-5.2-6.3), who also averages 3.4 steals per game. Fellow guard Miles (13.0-3.2-3.7) is another double digit score plus the 6-8 West (11.9 & 5.5) and the 6-8 Konate (9.3 & 7.8) will welcome the help up front that Ahmad will provide. Carter is the only player in the country averaging more than 16 points, six assists and three steals, helping the Mountaineers to lead the the Big 12 in turnover margin (plus-7.3). The pick: West Virginia won all three meetings last year, including in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament (63-53) but as noted often, the pointspread is the "great equalizer." Texas head coach Shaka Smart has covered five straight in this series, including all three meetings a year ago. Take the points and make Texas a 10* play. |
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01-20-18 | Wichita State -3 v. Houston | Top | 59-73 | Loss | -115 | 5 h 50 m | Show |
The set-up: After 72 years in the MVC, Wichita State upgraded to the AAC (American Athletic Conference) this season and Saturday afternoon will take on conference rival Houston. The Shockers are 15-3 (5-1 AAC) and the Cougars 14-4 (4-2 in AAC), with Wichita Sttae already owning a win over the Cougars this season, 81-63 on Jan. 4 in Wichita. The No. 7 Shockers saw their seven-game winning snapped with an 83-78 loss to SMU, a defeat that also snapped the school's 27-game home winning streak at Koch Arena. Wichita State: Sophomore guard Landry Shamet leads the AAC with 5.3 assists per game and owns the AAC's top assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.63 plus scores a team-high 16.1 PPG, having recorded his first two career double-doubles in his last three games (he had 18 points in the Shockers' 18-point home win over the Cougars). He also shoots 54.6 percent from the floor (including 52 percent from three-point range), in leading a team which averages 84.6 PPG (21st) on 49.4% shooting (22nd). The 6-8 Morris (12.1 & 4,4) joins guard Frankamp (11.8) and the 6-9 Willis (11.2 & 6.4) in double figures. The Shockers own depth galore, with junior forward Markis McDuffie (8.0 & 4.3) now slowly rounding into form after missing the first 11 games of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot. He's one of six players adding between 5.0 and 8.0 PPG, a group which includes the team's leading rebounder, the 6-7 Kelly (5.1 & 7.2). Houston. Gray is an excellent floor leader, who also averages 3.0 RPG and 4.0 APG. Fellow guard Corey Davis (12.0) and 6-6 forward Devin Davis (10.7 & 6.3) join him in double digits while reserve guards Brooks (9.4) and Van Beck (8.4) add scoring punch off the bench. Houston is the only team to out-rebound the Shockers this season but the Cougars still lost by 18 points, as Gray was held to just 13 points with the Cougars scoring a season-low 63 points. Like the Shockers, the Cougars found themselves in a close game against a hot opponent their last time out. Houston took a late three-point lead against Tulane this past Wednesday in New Orleans but couldn't hold on and dropped an 81-72 conference game. The pick: Wichita State trails Cincinnati by one game in the AAC standings, while Houston and Memphis are one game back of the Shockers. Wichita State responded to its last loss, 91-83 to Oklahoma on Dec. 16, by winning its next seven games and hasn't dropped consecutive conference games since 2012-13 (note: those were MVC contests). McDuffie's return is good news (he led last year's 31-win team in scoring at 11.5 PPG and rebounding at 5.7 RPG) and I hardly expect another four-point effort from him here (like vs. SMU). Wichita State had little trouble Housotn in early January (led 53-32 at the half) and I'll lay the small number here. Make Wichita State an 8* play. |
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01-19-18 | Knicks v. Jazz -4 | Top | 117-115 | Loss | -115 | 26 h 9 m | Show |
The set-up: The Utah Jazz put together a six-game winning streak to reach 13-11 at the end of play on Dec. 4 but have since won just five of 20 games to fall to 18-26. However, after Wednesday's 120-105 win at Sacramento, the Jazz have a chance for consecutive wins for the first time in over a month when they host the New York Knicks on Friday. The Kicks are coming off a 105-99 loss at Memphis on Wednesday that dropped them to 5-16 on the road for the season and to 20-25 overall, after losing 11 of their last 14 games. NY Knicks: New York rallied from an 18-point deficit in the third quarter at Memphis to make it interesting but the Grizzlies held on, despite playing without three starters. New York head coach Jeff Hornacek indicated he wants more from his first five. "We're all frustrated," Porzingis told reporters. "We all want to win. We just need to understand in our minds what are the things we need to do throughout the game to be able to be in position to win late in the game. Not have all that pressure late in the game, and that's when we start playing and we turn it up. We need to have that early on and then we'll be fine." Porzingis (23.6 & 6.9) has at least 21 points in five of his last six games and is averaging 3.3 blocks and 2.5 steals over the last four outings. PG Frank Ntilikina, the Knicks' top choice in last year's draft, has gone scoreless in three of his last five games, shooting a combined 0-for-11 in those three contests (he's averaging just P5.4 PG and 3.6 APG). Porous defense has been a major obstacle for New York in turning things around. The Knicks have held just two opponents under 100 points over their last 14 games (winning just three) and they rank 20th among NBA teams with a 108.2 defensive rating in January. Utah: Rookie guard Donovan Mitchell was 14-for-19 in a 34-point performance in teh win over teh Kings and is averaging over 25 points over an eight-game stretch (19.7 PPG on the season). Mitchell has shot 50 percent or better in each of the last three contests and is adding a highlight-reel play or two seemingly every night. Mitchell is an electrifying talent but has some work to do on the defensive end before he can be included with the league's elite players. "He played very well tonight," coach Quin Snyder told the media Wednesday. "There were a number of things on the defensive end that he's going to hear about. He's gotta keep getting better in every aspect of the game. That's what he wants to do." Rodney Hood (2nd-leading scorer at 16.7 PPG), who had 30 points in a loss at New York earlier this season, added 25 points while shooting 9-for-16 in the win over the Kings. The pick: The Knicks were talking playoff at 17-14 but they are just 3-11 since. Their road woes are well-documented (see above) and while te heazz are also just 5-15 their last 20, they are getting some good news. Center Rudy Gobert (11.6 & 9.6), who sustained a sprained PCL in his left knee and bone bruise in his tibia while missing 15 games (Jazz are 4-11), is expected to return to action against the Knicks on Friday! Make Utah a 10* play. |
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01-19-18 | Illinois v. Wisconsin -4 | Top | 50-75 | Win | 100 | 25 h 33 m | Show |
The set-up: The 10-9 Illinois Fighting Illini will take on the 9-10 Wisconsin Badgers Friday night at the Kohl Center in Madison. Illinois could use a win here to snap a four-game losing streak and also pick up the team's first conference win, after opening Big Ten play at 0-6. Illinois' poor start is rather surprising, considering the fact that Brad Underwood led the Fighting Illini to a 20-15 season last year, his first at Champaign (the Illini had won just 15 games the season before). Meanwhile, the Badgers' sub-.500 start is 'earth shaking' for Madison fans, as is the team's 2-4 Big Ten record. Wisconsin entered this season having played in 17 straight NCAA tournaments (tied for the fourth-longest active streak with Gonzaga) and its 13 NCAA tourney wins were tied for 2nd-most (with Kentucky), over the last four seasons. Illinois; Freshman guard Trent Frazier (11.0 & 2.6 APG) has scored 46 total in his last two outings and is averaging 16.8 points while shooting 44.9 percent from behind the arc over the last nine games. Despite not playing more than 23 minutes in any of his last four contests due to foul trouble, 6-7 forward Leron Black has not seen any kind of decline in his team-high scoring (14.4 points) and rebounding (5.7) averages. Guard Aaron Jordan (9.8 PPG) has not been as fortunate, as he was held scoreless for the second time in three games Monday and reached double figures only once in his last seven outings The 6-10 Finke (10.6 & 5.6) is now Illinois' only other double digit scorer. Wisconsin: The Badgers lost four starters from last year's Sweet 16 team (27 wins) but the 6-10 Ethan Happ was a Preseason All-American. Despite feeling the pressure of carrying the injury-plagued Badgers on offense, he is the only major-conference player averaging at least 16 points (16.7), eight rebounds (8.4) and three assists (3.6) this season. The pick: It's become obvious that Wisconsin's NCAA streak will end here in 2018 but remember that Wisconsin has won 11 straight meetings against Illinois, including six in a row at teh Kohl Center. It's been quite some time since Wisconsin was this small of a home favorite over Illinois (the schools met just once last season and Wisconsin was a 7 1/2-point favorite at Illinois), so lay it. Make Wisconsin a 10* play. |
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01-18-18 | Loyola Marymount v. BYU -16 | Top | 67-82 | Loss | -105 | 16 h 49 m | Show |
The set-up: The 6-11 Loyola Marymount Lions will travel to Provo, Utah to take on the 15-4 BYU Cougars at the Marriott Center. The Lions come in having lost nine of their last 11 and have opened 1-5 in WCC play. BYU enters on a roll, having won 10 of its last 12, with both losses coming in league play (74-64 in OT to St. Mary's and 67-66 at Pacific), where the Cougars are 4-2. Loyola-Marymount: The Lions went 15-15 last season, following years of 11, 13, 8 and 14 wins the previous four years. Reaching 15 wins again this season may be a stretch, as the team's 74.0 PPG average is not enough when the Lions are allowing 77.5 PPG (290th) on 48.5% shooting (334th). PG Batemon (17.4-4.5-5.1) is a quality player and is surrounded by two solid small forwards, freshman Eli Scott (13.1 & 7.1) and senior Steven Haney (12.6). BYU. Dave Rose took over as BYU's head coach for the 2005-06 season and began his 13th season on the bench having led the Cougars to 12 straight 20-plus win seasons, while taking BYU to either the NCAA (eight) or NIT (four) tourney each year. At 15-4, his streak of 20-win seasons and a postseason tourney is all but a 'lock.' The 6-8 Childs (17.9 & 9.10 will be the best big man on the court plus guards Bryant (17.7 & 6.3) and Haws (11.1-3.1-3.9) are a quality combo. The Cougars have typically been known as a high-scoring team but while BYU is shooting 49.1% (29th) from the floor, the Cougars are averaging a modest (for them), 75.6 PPG (144th). The pick: However, as noted above, Marymount is a really poor defensive team and BYU has topped 80 points in each of the last nine meetings between the two schools, including scoring 81, 85 and 89 in sweeping all three meetings last season. Lay it and make BYU an 8* play. |
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01-18-18 | Magic +11 v. Cavs | Top | 103-104 | Win | 100 | 12 h 54 m | Show |
The set-up: The Cleveland Cavaliers lost 99-92 on Christmas Day in Oakland to the Warriors and it sparked a downward spiral. The Cavs lost again to the Warriors this past Monday (MLK Day) 118-108 and are now losers of four straight and eight of their last 10 games to fall seven games behind the East's No. 1 seed (Boston) and even four games back of Toronto for the No. 2 seed. Trade rumors are already beginning, as the Cavaliers try to put their internal squabbles behind and snap their slide when they host the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Cleveland's last win came at Orlando came back on Jan. 6, 131-127 and was part of a seven-game slide for the Magic that ended with a 108-102 win over Minnesota just this past Tuesday. The 13-31 Magic are tied with the Sacramento Kings for the NBA's worst record. Orlando: The Magic were able to snap their losing streak on Tuesday thanks to a career-high 32 points from Evan Fournier (18.0) and a strong effort in the middle from Bismack Biyombo (5.5 & 5.9) and Khem Birch (2.5 & 1.9), who combined for 22 points and 26 rebounds. Birch was playing in just his eighth career NBA game, "We have good players and when you look at the roster, you don't (think), 'Oh, they should only have 13 wins," Fournier told reporters. "The reality (of the record) is different, but when we play like this -- we play hard, with enthusiasm and with a purpose, it makes a huge difference. We have to keep playing like this. We have about 40 games left, and we have to try and fight. Just try and compete." That sounds good but the Magic have lost 27 of their last 32 games and even in a rare moment of glory for the Magic, reserve guard Arron Afflalo threw a punch at Minnesota's Nemanja Bjelica and is facing likely discipline from the NBA. Cleveland: That said, the Cavs are a mess, considering their DNA and string of three consecutive Finals trips. Anonymous leaks to the media have several players on the team doubting that the roster as currently constructed can solve some of the issues that plague Cleveland, especially on the defensive end. The Cavaliers are 28th in the NBA in defensive rating entering play on Wednesday and allowed at least 118 points in four of their last five games while trying to work 5-9 point guard Isaiah Thomas into the scheme. Thomas is struggling at both ends of the floor through his first five games with his new team and is shooting 36.1 percent from the floor, including 23.3 percent from three-point range. Thomas played a season-high 32 minutes in Monday's 118-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors but needed 21 shots to reach 19 points. Cleveland ranks 25th in both points allowed (108.7 per) and shooting percentage (47.2%). "This is a difficult year for our team," said LeBron James, who scored 33 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists in the last game against the Magic. "Seems like I say that every year, but this one has been even more challenging. But with everybody who has been out and coming back in and the rotations and things of that nature, it's been very challenging on our team. But we have to figure it out." The pick: Sure, the Magic own the worst record in the NBA and have lost 18 of their last 19 to the Cavs. However, the one win was this season, when Orlando came to Cleveland and rolled to a 114-93 triumph on Oct. 21. When the Cavs came to Amway Center in Orlando on Jan. 6, the Magic pushed the Cavs all the way, scoring 40 points in fourth quarter, almost erasing an 18-point deficit before Cleveland held on to win by just four. The Cavs' 3-16-1 ATS home record speaks for itself. Make Orlando a 10* play. |
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01-17-18 | Knicks v. Grizzlies -1.5 | Top | 99-105 | Win | 100 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
The set-up: Either the NY Knicks or the Memphis Grizzlies will walk away from tonight's game off back-to-back wins. That's a bigger deal than it sounds, as both teams have endured lengthy stretches this season without consecutive wins. The Knicks haven't had a winning streak since a four-gamer from Dec. 10-16, while the Grizzlies are without a winning streak since October. The Knicks have been awful on the road this season at 5-15, although they are 3-3 in its last six road games after a 2-13 start away from home. For Memphis, the loss of PG Conley has been a huge blow but they have been more competitive lately, recovering from a 2-19 stretch (from Nov. 11-Dec. 21) to win five of their last nine games. NY Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis (23.7 & 6.9) had 26 points and nine rebounds, while Michael Beasley (12.5 & 5.1) finished with 23 and 10, as the Knicks won 119-104 Monday in Brooklyn against the Nets. Beasley paced a group of reserves that combined for 70 points while shooting 54.5 percent in the win. Running the show for that group was rookie guard Frank Ntilikina, who recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 assists while chipping in seven rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. "Frank's an amazing player," Beasley told reporters. "He has to learn what pace he wants to go. But as soon as he figures it out, Frank will be an easy triple-double guy. Easy triple-double." Maybe Beasley knows what he's talking about but a check of the stat sheet reveals that Ntilikina is averaging 5.6-2.4-3.5, which is not quite Russell Westbrook-like! Memphis: The Grizzlies recorded 24 assists and had their second-best scoring total in Monday's 123-114 win over the Lakers, as they eight different players scoring in double figures. "We shared the ball. We moved it," center Marc Gasol told reporters. "We were moving our bodies. The ball was moving faster. We have been working on that in practice. Obviously, in the fourth quarter, we got a little more static. We had a lead and our defense was pretty good throughout three quarters so we were able to mess up a little bit in the fourth." However, on a regular basis (since the loss of Conley), only Gasol (18.4-8.6-4.0) and swingman Evans (19.6-5.1-4.8) have produced regularly for Memphis, which is averaging just 99.1 PPG (29th of 30 teams). JaMychal Green (10.0 & 6.8) is the only other Memphis player in double figures (just barely) and he's been limited to 27 games due to injuries. The pick: The Grizzlies have rebounded from one of the worst stretches in franchise history (losing 19 of 21) with five wins in their last 10 games. However, they have followed their last nine wins with losses. Can (will?) that change here? I see the Knicks playing the perfect foil.They are 5-15 on the road and since winning at Cleveland in October, their only road success has come at Brooklyn twice, and at New Orleans and Dallas. Memphis should be confident, as the Knicks haven't won at Memphis since March of 2011, with the Grizzlies six straight home wins over the Knicks in that span coming by an average of 11.5 PPG. Make Memphis an 8* play. |
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01-17-18 | Heat v. Bucks -4.5 | Top | 106-101 | Loss | -108 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
The set-up: The Miami Heat had their seven-game winning streak snapped with a 119-111 loss Monday at Chicago. Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra was peeved with his team's perimeter defense. "They lit us up," Spoelstra said after the Bulls hit 16 three-pointers, the second-highest total for a Heat opponent this season. The 25-18 Heat will look to start another winning streak when they visit Milwaukee's Bradley Center to take on the 23-20 Bucks. Milwaukee shot a season-low 31.6 percent at Miami on Sunday in a 97-79 loss but bounced back Monday with a 104-9 win on Monday at Washington. Miami: Even with the loss at Chicago, Miami's current 14-5 run has been impressive. A big part of its current surge has been the play of Tyler Johnson, who averaged 15.9 points in December. However, he left Monday's loss with an ankle injury and is doubtful for this one. Fellow guard Goran Dragic (Miami's leading scorer at 17.3 PPG) is on a season-high run of four straight games with at least 20 points and backup Wayne Ellington (10.8) hit that mark while making five three-pointers in the loss to Chicago. Center Whiteside (13.8 & 11.6) is back healthy (knee), having played in the last 10 games (Miami is 8-2). Milwaukee: The Bucks' MVP candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, finished with 27 points and a career-high 20 rebounds in Monday's win at Washington and is now averaging on the season. Antetokounmpo ranks second in the NBA in scoring, ninth in rebounding and in the top-20 in both steals (1.54) and blocks (1.24). "He was all over the floor tonight," teammate Eric Bledsoe told reporters after the Washington win. "That's the things we need from him night in and night out." Bledsoe chipped in 23 points - his best output in seven games - and recorded four steals for the fourth time this month. Bledsoe is averaging 17.9-3.9-4.2 in his 33 games with Milwaukee, teaming in the backcourt with last year's ROY, Brogdon (13.4-3.3-3.4). SF Middleton (19.9-5.0-4.2) is the last part of Milwaukee's 'Core Four," and may be one of the NBA's least appreciated players. The pick: Miami's problems at the SG position began earlier this season when Dion Waiters (14.3 PPG) suffered a sprained ankle that required season-ending surgery. Johnson has moved into the role and thrived before issues with his neck and shoulder popped up last week. Now, it's his ankle. Miami struggles offensively with "all hands on deck," averaging a modest 101.1 PPG (27th). I expect the Heat to have a big problem here vs. a highly-motivated Milwaukee team looking to avenge Sunday's 97-79 loss in Miami. Make Milwaukee an 8* play. |
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01-17-18 | Texas Tech v. Texas +3.5 | Top | 58-67 | Win | 100 | 12 h 18 m | Show |
The set-up: Shaka Smart's Texas team is coming off an ugly 11-22 season, his second in Austin. However, Texas has already matched last year's win total with an 11-6 record, including 2-3 in Big 12 play. Chris Beard made a huge splash in his first year as a Division I head coach at Arkansas-Little Rock, going 30-5 and leading the Trojans into the second round of the NCAAs. He used that season a springboard to get the Texas Tech job but his first season in Lubbock was a disappointment, as the Red Raiders went 18-14 overall but only 6-12 in the Big 12. He's corrected that so far in the 2017-18 season, entering 15-2 (4-1 in Big 12), with a team ranked No. 8 in the current AP poll. Both teams come into this contest having suffered key injuries. The Longhorns are without Kerwin Roach (hand) and Andrew Jones (leukemia) while Texas Tech recently announced senior Zach Smith has a broken foot and might miss the rest of the season. Texas Tech: Smith was averaging 10.4 & 4.6 and outside of leading scorer Evans (17.5), was Tech's lone double digit scorer. However, Chris Beard's team owns quality depth, as eight others are contributing between 4.7 and 9.9 PPG, while all eight are playing 15-plus minutes per game. The Red Raiders lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (66 points per game in Big 12 play) and rebounding margin (plus-7.6). Overall, Tech is holding all opponents to 60.8 PPG (5th) on 37.8% shooting (6th). The Red Raiders allow league opponents to shoot 41.8 percent while forcing 13.6 turnovers. Texas: Junior guard Kerwin Roach II (10.1-3.6-3.0) is out with an injured left hand and sophomore guard Andrew Jones (13.5) is at home in Irving getting treated for leukemia. However, Texas owns a surprisingly productive bench to help them stay afloat in the stacked Big 12 Conference race.Eric Davis Jr. (8.8 points) is averaging 20 points on 60 percent shooting off the bench in the two games since Jones' diagnosis was announced. Freshman Matt Coleman is averaging 12.2 points and 7.2 assists in league play and freshmen Jase Febres (6.8 points in league play) and Jericho Sims (4.2 points in league play) are continue to get more playing time. Then there is the Texas frontcourt duo of 6-9 junior Dylan Osetkowski (15.1 & 7.8) and 6-11 freshman Mohamed Bamba (11.8 & 10.4 plus 4.4 blocks per game). Like Texas Tech, Texas can play defense, allowing 65.8 PPG (43rd) on 39.6% shooting (26th). The pick: Texas hasn't lost back-to-back games since falling to then-No. 1 Duke and then-No. 17 Gonzaga - both in overtime- at the PK80 Tournament in November. What's more, the Longhorns have won 21 consecutive games against Texas Tech in Austin entering this contest. The last Texas Tech win in Austin came during the 1995-96 season when both schools were in the Southwest Conference. Home dog barks loudly in this one. Make Texas a 10* play. |
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01-16-18 | Mavs v. Nuggets -5.5 | Top | 102-105 | Loss | -108 | 21 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: The Denver Nuggets have hit a rough patch, losing four of their last five to fall to 22-21. That leaves them tied with the LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers, as those three teams battle for the final two Western Conference playoff spots. The good news is that the trio ifsfive games ahead of the closest challenger. Denver will welcome the Dallas Mavericks to Pepsi Center Tuesday night, a team which has spent most of the first half of the season as one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Mavericks suffered a 107-101 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, losing for the fourth time in their last six while falling to 15-29. Dallas: The Mavericks are facing tough decisions as the trading deadline looms. They can stand pat or be sellers next month and look to the future, which will soon not include Dirk Nowitzki. He is in the twilight of his illustrious career. "Dirk's really one of the most amazing athletes I've ever seen or been around," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters last week. "To perform like this at the advanced age of 39 in the NBA is just unbelievable." He is averaging 12.3 PPG and 5.5 RPG in his his 19th season but has become a complimentary player to younger players like rookie PG Dennis Smith Jr. and Harrison Barnes. Barnes again leads Dallas in scoring (18.7) and also leads in rebounding (6.7), while Smith is a legitimate ROY candidate, averaging 14.3-3.9-4.5. Dallas at 18.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. he scored 23 points in the loss to the Lakers and has eight straight double-digit outings, including three of at least 20 points. Smith, the ninth overall pick in the draft, frustrated No. 2 pick Lonzo Ball on Saturday by limiting him to nine points on 4-of-13 shooting. Denver:The Nuggets' four losses during this latest five-game stretch have come by an average of 15.8 points and head coach Michael Malone is trying to keep the squad's spirits intact. "Every team experiences the ups and downs," Malone told reporters. "The most important thing for us is how do we handle it and how do we react? Don't become too emotional. Don't become over-reactive and (proclaim) 'the sky is falling' and panic." Denver's defense had no answers for slowing down San Antonio in Saturday's 112-80 setback, as the Spurs made 14-of-27 three-pointers and scored 30 or more points in two separate quarters. Center Nikola Jokic scored 23 points and nine rebounds in the loss, narrowly missing his 15th double-double of the campaign. He's been Denver's MVP (15.8 & 10.1) with PF Millsap (15.3 & 6.2) sidelined, although the Nuggets have sure liked the play of guards Harris (16.9), Murray (15.6) and Barton (14.4-4.8-4.0). The pick: The Nuggets have won seven of their last nine home games against the Mavericks and will surely remember losing 122-105 at Dallas back on Dec. 4. Let me note that Dallas has allowed 100 points or more in each of its last six losses and that Denver is 15-5 SU at home where the Nuggets average 109.7 PPG. Make Denver a 10* play. |
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01-16-18 | Kentucky -2.5 v. South Carolina | Top | 68-76 | Loss | -103 | 21 h 10 m | Show |
The set-up: Injuries and illness have plagued John Calipari's Kentucky team all season. The Wildcats have been making do lately with only seven scholarship players. PG Quade Green (10.4 & 3.4 APG) has missed the last two games with a lower back injury and 6-10 forward Tai Wynyard has missed three straight with the flu and back issues. They join freshmen Jarred Vanderbilt and Jemarl Baker, who have yet to play because of preseason injuries. Still, Kentucky is 14-4 (4-1 in SEC) and ranked 18th in the latest AP poll, as the Wildcats travel to Columbia, South Carolina to visit the Gamecocks. South Carolina was a surprise Final Four team last season (26 wins) but lost Thornwell (21.4 & 7.1), Dozier (13.9 & 4.8) and Notice (10.2) off that squad. The Gamecocks check in here at just 11-6, including 2-3 in SEC play. Kentucky: With Green and Wynyard out, Kentucky's options were limited in the Wildcats' 74-67 Saturday win at Vanderbilt. Kentucky head coach John Calipari used only seven players in that one with three of his starters logging at least 38 minutes. "These guys should be happy," Calipari told reporters. "They got tired. ... But you ask these guys, 'Would you rather play half a game or play every minute?' What do you think they're going to say? 'I'll be good. I'll play every minute.'" As is almost always the case, Calipari's team is loaded with freshman. The 6-9 Knox (14.2 & 5.5) is the leading scorer, followed by two guards, Diallo (13.8 & 4.5) and Gilgeous-Alexander (12.4-3.7-4.4). The 6-7 Washington is another solid freshman, averaging 11.0 & 5.2. South Carolina: The Gamecocks had lost four of six before slipping past 64-57 Georgia this past Saturday thanks to Frank Booker's 17 points. South Carolina somehow won despite shooting a season-low 27.1 percent with the team's five forwards combining to go 6-of-32 from the field. Leading scorer, the 6-9 Chris Silva (14.2 & 7.9) just missed his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and nine boards versus the Bulldogs.Booker (10.9) is the only other South Carolina player scoring in double digits. Frank Martin teams are known for their defense and the Gamecocks rank 33rd, while allowing 65.1 PPG. The pick: Kentucky will be looking to conclude a daunting, but successful early Southeastern Conference schedule, when it plays its fourth road game in five outings tonight at South Carolina. The Wildcats aren't scoring like usual (78.3 PPG ranks 91st) but they are shooting well (48.8% ranks 32nd). Defensively, Kentucky allows 69.6 PPG (not bad) and just 41.0% shooting (65th). Calipari used only six players most of the time when his UMass team reached the 1996 Final Four and he says he raached out toJohn Wooden back in 2010, when was still alive. I called him and said, 'Will you watch my team? We're not an execution team. Do you have any ideas?'" Calipari remembered. "Coach Wooden said, 'you play too many guys.' He said, 'I know why you do because kids will transfer.' But we played five guys and they earned their space. I'd play a sixth guy if I needed to. They earned it in practice.'" My point is, Calipari can coach with a 'short' or a 'long' bench! Make the Wildcats a 10* play, as they beat South Carolina by 16 in the only matchup last season. |
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01-15-18 | Kansas +5 v. West Virginia | Top | 71-66 | Win | 100 | 23 h 37 m | Show |
The set-up:The Jayhawks and Mountaineers are both 4-1 in Big 12 play, leaving them as half of the four teams atop the conference standings (Texas Tech and Oklahoma are the other two). Kansas is 14-3 overall and currently ranked No. 12 in the AP poll, while West Virginia is 15-2 and currently ranked second. However, Texas Tech ended West Va's 15-game winning streak with a 72-71 home win over the Mountaineers, so West Va. will not be No. 2 when the AP's new poll is announced on Monday afternoon. Kansas has taken a slightly different route to its share of the Big 12 lead, losing its second conference contest (85-73 to Texas Tech) but then reeling off three straight wins, with the latest being Saturday’s 73-72 victory over visiting Kansas State. Kansas: The Jayhawks may have won three straight league games but each have been hard-fought, nip-and-tuck affairs, with the three wins coming by a combined total of just 10 points. Senior guard Devonte’ Graham scored a game-high 23 points vs. the Wildcats (his ninth straight in double figures) and continues to pace the team at 18.4 PPG and by handing out 7.4 APG. Three other guards also average in double figures, Saviatoslav Mykhailiuk (16.5), Lagerald Vick (14.9 & 6.0) and Malik Newman (10.7 & 4.5). Center Udoka Azubuike averages 14.8 PPG and a team-high 7.7 rebounds. However, no other Jayhawk averages as much as four points per game. Kansas leads the Big 12 in field-goal (51.0) and three-point (41.5) percentage. Those figures rank 9th and 8th in the nation, respectively. Kansas also ranks 17th nationally by averaging 85.8 PPG. West Virginia: The Mountaineers saw an 11-point lead slip away in the final 13 minutes of Saturday’s 72-71 road loss to Texas Tech. Guard Javon Carter scored a game-high 28 points and junior forward Esa Ahmad, playing his first game of the season since returning from an academic suspension, added 18 points and six rebounds off the bench. However, it wasn’t enough to keep Bob Huggins’ team alone atop the conference standings. “We just had guys (who) were really out of character,” Huggins said in his post-game news conference. “We’ve got our center shooting whatever that was, a three-pointer from the top of the key. We just did a lot of things out of character from what we normally do.” What is in character for West Va, is a excellent offense (82.1 PPG ranks 39th) and a formidable defense (65.4 PPG allowed ranks 34th). Carter’s 28 points Saturday were just one off his career high. He is averaging 16.8 points and a team-high 6.5 assists and is joined in double figures by guard Daxter Miles Jr. (13.2) and forward Lamont West (12.2 & 5.5). The 6-8 Konate averages 8.9 PPG and a team-high 7.6 RPG and of course, the 6-8 Ahmad is now the 'wild card,' after his 18-point season debut. The pick: Kansas has won seven of the 11 meetings since West Virginia joined the Big 12 in 2012 but the Mountaineers are 4-1 in Morgantown, including an 85-69 win last season. Will Kansas suffer a fifth straight loss in Morgantown, something the program hasn't experienced since losing at Oklahoma from 1987 to 1991? My bet say N-O! Make Kansas a 10* play. |
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01-15-18 | Youngstown State +13 v. Wright State | Top | 67-77 | Win | 100 | 18 h 37 m | Show |
The set-up: It's a late-afternoon Monday game in the Horizon League, as the Youngstown State Penguins visit the Wright State Raiders at Nutter Center in Dayton. The Penguins have lost their last two games versus Oakland and Detroit Mercy, to fall to 5-13 overall, ruining a 3-0 start in Horizon play. Meanwhile, the 13-5 Raiders welcome the Penguins to Nutter Center with a perfect 5-0 start in Horizon play. Youngstown State is off a 13-21 season (5-13 in Horizon) and Wright State off a 20-12 season (11-7 in Horizon) but did not play in a postseason tourney. Youngstown State: Veteran guards Morse (15.2 & 4.6) and Hartfield (14.2) are the team's lone double digit scorers and 6-6 freshman forward Bohannon (6.2 & 7.2) is the team's top rebounder. However, scoring hasn't been Youngstown State's Achilles Heel, but rather it's been the team's inability to stop opponents from scoring that has hurt them. The Penguins are allowing 83.5 PPG, ranking 339th in the nation. Wright State: Senior guards Benzinger (15.6 & 4.6) and Mitchell (11.1 & 7.1) are tge etam's top-two scorers but two freshman have made huge impacts. There is the 6-9 love (10.8 & 9.1) plus guard Hall (8.3). Unlike Youngstown State, Wright State plays very solid defense, allowing 66.5 PPG (54th). The pick: Youngstown State may have lost its last two Hotizon games (after opening 3-0) but the Penguins covered them both and head to Wright State a perfect 5-0 ATS in Horizon play this season. Wright State is the better team and the more disciplined one under second-year head coach Scott Nagy, who won big at South Dakota State in this previous stop, but I won't ignore the Penguins' 5-0 ATS record in league play. Also, Mitchell will miss due to personal reasons and his 11.7 PPG and 7.1 RPG will be missed. Make Youngstown State an 8* play. |
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01-14-18 | Pacers v. Suns +4.5 | Top | 120-97 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 36 m | Show |
The set-up: The Indiana Pacers overcame a 22-point deficit to knock off the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-95 on Friday, handing the Cavs their third straight loss. As for the Pacers, they have now won three of four since Victor Oladipo returned to the lineup The 22-20 Pacers will venture to Phoenix Sunday night to open a five-game road trip against the 16-27 Suns. Phoenix has lost three of its last four, after falling 112-95 at home to Houston on Friday, despite holding the Rockets to just 41.5 percent shooting (note: Houston shoots 46.1% on the season). Indiana: The Pacers have received strong contributions from Oladipo and Sabonis, the players it received from Oklahoma City for free-agent-to-be Paul George over the summer. Oladipo is averaging 24.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists, and second-year player Sabonis has broken out, averaging 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds. Sabonis is one of seven players behind Oladipo to contribute between 7.7 and 13.9 PPG. Myles Turner (13.9 & 6.5) owns second-highest scoring average on the team but has missed the last two contests with an elbow issue and is day-to-day. Swingman Lance Stephenson collected 16 points and 11 rebounds on Friday, but it was his willingness to guard and irritate Cleveland star LeBron James that may have been the difference in the game. Phoenix: The Pacers have Oladipo and the Suns have Devin Booker, who averages 24.9-4.4-4.4. However, the only other regular double digit scorer Phoenix has is small forward T.J.. Warren (19.7 & 5.5). Center Monroe averages 11.5 & 8.4 but has played in just two of the team's last 13 games and only 14 for the entire season. PG Canaan was picked up in mid-December and he's averaged 10.0 PPG and 4.9 APG but has played only 10 games, while missing the last three. The pick: The Pacers had dropped seven of their previous nine games ATS prior to Friday's upset of the Cavs and they must now travel west to play in Phoenix tonight and Utah tomorrow. A let down seems likely off that Cleveland win and don't expect another 16 & 11 effort from Lance Stephenson, without LBJ as motivation. The Pacers have covered only two of their last 13 games against the Suns, so make Phoenix a 10* play. |
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01-14-18 | NC State +15 v. Virginia | Top | 51-68 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 28 m | Show |
The set-up: The Virginia Cavaliers were unranked and projected by most to be a middle-of-the pack squad in the ACC by pundits in the preseason, while under first-year coach Kevin Keatts, the N.C. State Wolfpack were picked to finish among the bottom teams of this brutally tough conference. However, Virginia welcomes NC State to Charlottesville for this Sunday matchup at 15-1 (lone loss 68-61 at WVa) and ranked No.3 in the latest AP poll. That's no small feat, as the Cavaliers are the fifth team in ACC history to move from unranked in preseason to inside the top-three, joining Miami (2012-13), Georgia Tech (2003-04), Wake Forest (1980-81) and North Carolina (1972-73). The Wolfpack were just 10-5 on the season (including 0-2 with two blowout losses to open ACC play), before upsetting Duke (then-No. 2) last Saturday and just this past Thursday, knocking off No. 19 Clemson. It marked the school's heir first consecutive wins against ranked teams since 2007. N.C. State: The Wolfpack committed just four turnovers against Clemson (their fewest in nearly six years), while converting 17 Clemson miscues into 23 points. Grad transfer Allerik Freeman, averaging a team-high 15.2 PPG (along with 4.7 rebounds, & 3.0 assists) added 14 points and also tied his career high in assists for the second straight game with five. The Wolfpack boast five double-digit scorers, which is to be expected in first-year coach Keatts’ up-tempo style. Right behind Freeman are Torin Dorn (13.1 & 7.2), the 7-0 Omer Yurtseven (12.7 & 6.8), the 6-8 Lennard Freeman (11.3 & 5.4). and freshman guard Braxton Beverly (10.2 & 4.5 APG). The Wolfpack are averaging 83.1 PPG, which ranks 31st in the nation. Virginia: Sophomore guard Kyle Guy (15.4) led the Cavaliers with 22 points in the team's last outing, becoming the first player in coach Tony Bennett’s tenure at the school (since 2009-10) to play 40 minutes. Senior guard Devon Hall (11.9-4.2-3.4) added 13 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Those two are the only players averaging in double figures for UVa but a third guard, Ty Jerome, just misses at 9.8 PPG. All three are deadly three-point shooters, with Hall connecting on 44.6%, Guy 44.2% and Jerome at 43.7%. The Cavs don't score like NC State (70.7 PPG ranks 271st) but few teams play better defense. Virginia ranks first in points allowed (53.0 per) and second in FG percentage (36.1%). The pick: The Cavaliers are 44-4 SU at home in ACC games over the past six seasons and Virginia is 10-0 against N.C. State in its last 10 regular-season matchups. In fact, the Wolfpack haven't beaten the Cavaliers in their last seven tries at John Paul Jones Arena and Virginia has held the Wolfpack to 55 points or fewer in their last five meetings. All signs point to another Virginia triumph over N.C. State in this one but the Wolfpack have proven to be giant killers this season. A win over Virginia would give N.C. State its third consecutive victory over a top-25 opponent and fourth this season (beat then-No. 2 Arizona back on Nov. 22). PG Markell Johnson (8.7 PPG & 6.6 APG) is expected to return to the floor for NC State against Virginia on Sunday, after missing the last seven contests due to a suspension stemming from a legal issue. He should provide a big boost and first-year coach Kevin Keatts will remember that Virginia defeated his former team, UNC Wilmington, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Take the points and make NC State a 10* play. |
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01-13-18 | Pistons +1 v. Bulls | Top | 105-107 | Loss | -105 | 20 h 14 m | Show |
The set-up: The 22-18 Detroit Pistons are currently the East's No. 6 seed but the team's playoff position can change quickly, as there are just 2 1/2 games separating the No. 4 seed and the No. 8 seed. Detroit ended its five-game road losing streak in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, routing the Nets 114-80 in Brooklyn and tonight will try to make it back-to-back road wins when the Pistons wrap up a three-game trip by visiting the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. The Bulls also claimed a win in New York on Wednesday, edging the Knicks 122-119 in double-OT at MSG. However, that victory was just the second in the last seven games for the 15-27 Bulls. Detroit: The Pistons limited the Nets to 36.5 percent from the floor, forced 20 turnovers and allowed just 26 points in the paint on Wednesday. "I thought our defense was outstanding tonight and everybody was involved," Detroit head coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "We got everybody doing their job. I thought (centers) Andre (Drummond) and Eric (Moreland) on pick-and-roll defense put a lot of pressure on the guards and made it really tough. Our perimeters did a good job pulling in and taking the roll and for the most part getting back out to the shooters." Drummond (14.4 & 15.0) collected 22 points and 20 rebounds in Wednesday's win, but it was his defense that stood out the most. Small forward Tobias Harris is averaging 24.7 points over the last three games while going 8-of-15 from three-point range. He leads four Detroit players in double digits with 18.5 PPG and 5.2 RPG, joining Drummond plus guards Bradley (15.4) and Jackson (14.6 & 5.5 APG). However, the Pistons are playing without starting PG Reggie Jackson, who has been out since Dec. 26 with a severely sprained right ankle. Chicago: Nikola Mirotic's (17.4 & 7.0) Dec. 8 return sparked the Bulls at first, as they ripped off seven consecutive wins (also 7-0 ATS). Chicago was 10-2 in his first 12 games back but the Bulls then lost four of their next five. Mirotic has missed the last two games with a stomach illness (1-1) but will play Saturday against Detroit. Chicago is also about to get another weapon back on the offensive end on Saturday, with Zach LaVine (acquired from Minnesota in the Butler trade) slated to make his team and season debut after recovering from ACL surgery. LaVine will be joining an offense thriving behind rookie forward Lauri Markkanen (15.4 & 7.6), who scored a season-high 33 points in the win at New York while knocking down eight 3-pointers and adding 10 rebounds. The pick: However, the Bulls have really been struggling on the defensive end, allowing an average of 120.9 points over their last seven contests. It seems that Mirotic's 'magic' has somewhat 'cooled' and he's rumored to be on the trading block (Pistons are reportedly interested). Chicago's defensive woes could be "just what the doctor ordered" for a Detroit team coming off a 34-point win in Brooklyn. Make the Pistons a 10* play. |
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01-13-18 | Michigan +9.5 v. Michigan State | Top | 82-72 | Win | 100 | 12 h 8 m | Show |
The set-up: The Michigan State Spartans lost their No. 1 ranking last Sunday by getting blown out 80-64 by at unranked Ohio State (the defeat ended a 14-game winning streak) and then barely survived at home against unheralded Rutgers on Wednesday, before pulling out a 76-72 overtime victory. Now ranked No. 4, Michigan State (16-2 , 4-1 in Big Ten play) will host in-state rival Michigan on Saturday in conference action at the Breslin Center. The 14-4 Wolverines (3-2 in Big Ten play) also played this past Wednesday when they saw their seven-game winning streak snapped as they lost 70-69 at home to No.5 Purdue. Michigan leads the all-time series between the rivals 98-81, although Michigan State has won 25 of the last 35 meetings. This marks the rivals' only regular-season matchup this season. Michigan: "We thought we had them," said guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman. "We just didn't make some plays down the stretch." The Wolverines now face their second top-5 opponent in a row, this time on the road..John Beilein has a perimeter-based team, as the 6-11 Wagner (13.9 & 7.1) is the lone frontcourt player averaging more than 5.0 points. Guard Charles Matthews (15.6 & 5.1) leads Michigan in scoring (followed by Wagner) and is joined on the perimeter by Abdur-Rahkman (10.8-4.4-3.30, Robinson (9.9), Poole (5.9) and Simpson (5.7 & 3.4 APG). Beilein teams always play excellent defense and Michigan is allowing 62.1 pPG (12th), while asos ranking 17th in turnover margin at plus-4.2. Abdur-Rahkman ranks second nationally with an assist-to-turnover ratio of six-to-one. Michigan State: Despite its recent "mini-slump," many feel that this could be Izzo's most talented team. All five starters average in double digits, led by 6-7 swingman Bridges (16.5 & 7.5). The 6-8 Ward (14.8 & 7.1) and 6-11 freshman Jackson (11.1 & 6.4) start up front, joined by the backcourt duo of Winston (12.8 & 7.1 APG) and Langford (13.8). MSU knows a lot about playing good defense too, holding opponents to 63.0 PPG (19th). However, this team scores better than almost all Izzo teams of the past, averaging 85.9 PPG (10th) on 52.0% shooting (2nd). The pick: Bridges is the only player in the country averaging at least 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, three assists and one block per game, but the Spartans' two losses, as well as in Wednesday's close call against Rutgers, Bridges' unselfishness became a liability. Izzo wants Bridges to stop deferring so much to his teammates. Bridges went scoreless in the first half against the Scarlet Knights and finished with just 11 points. He has scored fewer than 20 points the last six games. The Wolverines are coming off that agonizing 70-69 home loss to No. 5 Purdue on Tuesday., when the 6-11 Moritz Wagner was called for a foul with four seconds left and Boilermakers center Isaac Haas sank one of two free throws to give his team the lead. Charles Matthews' desperation half-court heave at the buzzer bounced off the rim. Michigan is getting significant points in this one and in its only game against Michigan State last season, the Wolverines snapped a five-game losing streak in the series with an 86-57 victory at Crisler Center. Michigan will be seeking its first win at the Breslin Center since 2014 and while the Wolverines may not accomplish that feat, I'm taking the points. Make Michigan a 10* play. |
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01-12-18 | Idaho +2 v. Eastern Washington | Top | 58-51 | Win | 100 | 16 h 34 m | Show |
The set-up: It's Big Sky college hoops Friday night from Cheney, Washington as the 10-6 Idaho Vandals visit the 8-9 Eastern Washington Eagles. The Vandals are trying to gather up some consistency after alternating wins and losses in each of their last six games and come off a 73-72 home loss to Portland State in their last outing. Meanwhile, the Eagles will look to stay hot, having won three in a row and five of six after an 82-67 home victory over Sacramento State in their last outing to climb within a game of .500 on the season. Idaho: The Vandals are coming off a 19-win season plus returned all five starters. Guard Victor Sanders led the team with 28 points on 10 of 18 shooting in the one-point loss to Portland State and checks in averaging a team-high 19.6 PPG. He's joined in the backcourt by PG Callandret (9.9 & 3.3 APG) plus the Vandals feature a nice tandem of forwards in the 6-7 Blake (13.9 & 9.6) and the 6-8 Sherwood (10.2 & 5.2). Idaho averages 72.8 points PPG but relies more on a defense holding opponents to 65.2 PPG (34th) on 39.4% shooting (26th). Eastern Washington. The Eagles won 22 games last season but despite some recent good fortune, remain a game below .500. Eastern Washington's Cody Benzel led the team with 25 points in the win over Sacramento State, while Benas Griciunas chipped in 16, Jack Perry added 14 points and six assists, Mason Peatling added 12 points in 13 minutes, plus Sir Washington added 10 points. However, none of those players average in double digits on the season. 6-6 guard Bogdan Bliznyuk scored just two points the last time out but averages 18.5 PPG and is the lone player scoring in double digits on the season. He also leads the team in assists (3.6) and is the second-best rebounder (6.3) behind only the 6-7 Hunt (9.1 & 6.6). Eastern Washington averages 75.8 PPG but allows 73.9 PPG (220th) on 44.1% shooting (205th). The pick: Eastern Washington is the hotter team right now (see above) and checks in at 5-0 SU at home. However, Idaho is a veteran team (all five starers are back) and is significantly more balanced that the Eagles, who are more of a "one-man team" in Bliznyuk. Idaho is also the better defensive team and that's why I'm making them a 10* play. |
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01-12-18 | Jazz v. Hornets -4 | Top | 88-99 | Win | 100 | 12 h 19 m | Show |
The set-up:The Utah Jazz put together a six-game winning streak to reach 13-11 at the end of play on Dec. 4 but have since won just four 17 games to fall to 17-24. However, the Jazz won their first road game in nearly a month at Washington this past Wednesday and tonight in Charlotte will try to make it back-to-back triumphs for the first time since bridging November and December with that six-game streak. The 15-24 Charlotte Hornets returned from a 3-1 trip on a west coast road trip, including a win at Golden State, but promptly lost their first game back home 1115-111 on Wednesday to the Dallas Mavericks (Mavs are just 15-28). Charlotte: The Hornets lost on Wednesday despite Kemba Walker (21.8 & 5.8 APG) going off for 41 points. Charlotte is just 2-8 in its last 10 home games, to drop to 10-11 overall in its own building on the season. Walker's scoring is not translating into wins of late, with Charlotte dropping its last eight games in which Walker scored 20 or more points but winning four straight when he scored 19 or fewer. Walker could use some help from his starting backcourt partner Nicolas Batum, who is 4-of-18 from the floor in the last two games. Batum had an excellent season last year (15.1-6.2-5.9) but he's been limitred to 25 games this season due to injury and his numbers are down across the board (10.1-4.2-4.8).The Hornets' biggest problem against the Mavericks was Dwight Howard's free throw shooting. He missed 13 of 18, almost single-handedly sabotaging Kemba Walker's 41-point night. One could look at Howard's numbers (15.6 & 12.1) and say "good job" but when is the last time this big man has really improved the team he's played for? The pick: The Hornets are, to say the least, a poor home team (2-8 SU & ATS run) but anyone think Utah's Edoh and O'Neale (6.5 PPG combined on the season) will combine for 26 points again, here? The Jazz are a woeful 4-17 SU on the road, allowing 107.1 PPG. The Jazz haven't won back-to-back games since that six-game winning streak and have not won back-to-back road games all season. Charlotte can win (and over) in this one. Make the Hornets a 10* play. |
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01-11-18 | Clemson -4 v. NC State | Top | 77-78 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 29 m | Show |
The set-up: The Clemson Tigers entered the current season off 16, 17 and 17-win seasons and little was expected of them. However, Clemson has opened 14-1 (3-0 in ACC play) and comes into this contest on a 10-game winning streak. Clemson has won three straight against the Wolfpack, including a 78-62 home win on Dec. 30 to open conference play. The Wolfpack hardly looked ready for prime time in losing their first two ACC games, averaging just 60.0 PPG in losing to Clemson and Notre Dame, while allowing 83.0 PPG. However, N.C. State rebounded for a 96-85 home win over the then-No. 2 Duke Blue Devils last Saturday. The Wolfpack welcome Clemson to PNC Arena standing at 11-5, including 1-2 in ACC play. Clemson: Head coach Brad Brownell’s teams typically are known for their stingy defense and that's true again this season, as the Tigers are allowing 63.5 PPG (22nd) on 40.2 shooting (45th). However, all five of the Tigers’ starters average double-digits in scoring. Guard Marcquise Reed (15.9 & 4.6) and 6-8 forward Grantham (14.6 & 7.3) lead a balanced attack that averages 77.9 PPG on 48.2% shooting (47th). PG Mitchell (12.4 & 4.2 APG), fellow guard DeVoe (11.6 & 4.5) and the 6-9 Thomas (11.6 & 8.3) round out the group. N.C. State:The Wolfpack also boast five double-digit scorers, which is to be expected in first-year coach Kevin Keatts’ up-tempo style. Guards Allerik Freeman (15.3 & 4.8 ) and Torin Dorn (13.4 & 7.3) lead the way but but freshman guard Braxton Beverly (10.4) has increased his output to 12.3 PPG during ACC play. The frontcourt consists of the Lennard 6-8 Freeman 11.7 & 5.3) and the 7-0 Omer Yurtseven (11.7 & 6.9). The Wolfpack average 83.4 PPG (34th) but allow 72.6 PPG (190th) on 43.9% shooting (200th). The pick: The victory over Duke was the second major upset of the season for N.C. State, which also beat then-No. 2 Arizona back on Nov. 22. However, the inconsistent Wolfpack also had a head-scratching 81-76 home loss to UNC Greensboro on Dec. 16. Fresh off another major upset, North Carolina State looks to take down a second consecutive ranked opponent when it hosts No. 19 Clemson. The Tigers are riding a 10-game winning streak and have won their first three ACC games for the first time since 2006-07, and only the sixth time in history. Clemson Big man Elijah Thomas posted a double-double (10 & 10) and recorded a career-high six blocks in the first meeting, while Donte Grantham was one rebound shy of a double-double ( 13 & 9), as the Tigers dominated inside. Only two opponents have exceeded 70 points against Clemson and the Tigers have the ACC's second-best defensive rebounding percentage at 75.4 percent of opponents' misses. Can N.C. State handle Clemson's frontcourt any better this time around? Probably not plus the recent suspension of soph gaurd Markell Johnson (8.7 PPG and a team-high 6.6 APG) sure doesn't help. Make Clemson a 10* play. |
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01-11-18 | Celtics -1.5 v. 76ers | Top | 114-103 | Win | 100 | 8 h 43 m | Show |
The set-up: The Boston Celtics roared out to a 22-4 start but then had an 11-game stretch where the team was just 5-6. However, since its Christmas home loss to Washington, Boston has ripped off six straight wins (4-2 ATS) and continues to owns the East's best record at 33-10. That's three games better than the Raptors and 5 1/2 games clear of the Cavs. The Philadelphia 76ers are streaking in the right direction again and have won their last four games while averaging 114.0 PPG. Philly has also won five of six and sits at 19-19, which puts them on pace for a 41-win season, quite an improvement after consecutive seasons of 28, 10, 18 and 19 (that starts from last season and goes backwards). Boston and Philly will meet tonight in London's O2 Arena.Boston: The Celtics' sixth straight win came when they edged the Nets 87-85 last Saturday in Brooklyn. Boston stopped five shots in the final 7.5 seconds of that triumph and leads the NBA in scoring defense at an average of 97.6 PPG allowed, as well as in defensive field-goal percentage (42.9%). Rookie forward Jayson Tatum is going through a bit of a shooting slump at 16-of-43 from the floor over the last four games but he's had a strong 'freshman' season (13.9 & 5.5). 'Sophomore' Brown (14.1 & 5.7) ranks second in scoring to PG Kyrie Irving (24.1 & 5.0) while the unsung hero of the team remains veteran center/forward Al Horford (13.4-7.9-5.3). Guards Smart (9.9) and Rozier (9.3) have been key contributors throughout the season. Philadelphia: The 76ers are coming off their most impressive victory of the season with a 114-78 rout of the Detroit Pistons on Friday. "We're getting healthier, and we're starting to find ourselves again," 76ers center Joel Embiid told reporters. "It's good to see, but I think we still got a lot to work on defensively. I think we've been taking care of the ball better. We just got to keep playing together." Embiid (23.8 & 10.9) has played in 29 games this season (team is 17-12) and since Philly hasn't played since that Friday win, he'll be ready to go here. PG Ben Simmons never got on the court last season but the wait has been worth it, as he averages 16.9-8.4-7.5. The team's starting-five is quite good with Embiid and Simmons being joined by SG Redick (17.3), SF Covington (13.9 & 6.0) and PF Saric (13.6 & 6.9).
The pick: The Sixers have the league’s toughest January schedule (in regard to opponent strength) and traveling 'across the pond' to play the league's best defensive team, is among the team's "tough games." ,Boston's Horford (calf) sat out Saturday's win but is expected to play Thursday. The Celtics have beaten the Sixers twice this season, 102-92 on Oct. 20 in Philly and 108-97 on Nov. 30 in Boston. Why won't they complete the 'hat trick' by winning here in London? Make Boston an 8* play. |
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01-10-18 | Pelicans -1 v. Grizzlies | Top | 102-105 | Loss | -105 | 20 h 16 m | Show |
The set-up: The New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies opened the 2017-18 season at FedExForum, with Mike Conley leading the Grizzlies to a 103-91 win with 27 points. The two teams reunite in the same venue Wednesday night but both teams look very different from when they last squared off back on Oct. 18. Memphis, which has made the playoffs each of the past seven years, opened the season 7-4, but the Grizzlies lost Conley (17.1 & 4.1 APG) to an Achilles injury two games later and have since plummeted to near the bottom of the Western Conference at 12-27. Meanwhile, the Pelicans, who have reached the postseason just once in the last six seasons, struggled offensively early on, scoring 100 or more points just four times in their first 10 games. However, they have the Cousins (25.8 & 12.5) and Davis (25.8 & 10.3) duo for an entire season this year and when veteran PG Rajon Rondo made his season debut on Nov. 13, New Orleans' offense has come together and the Pelicans currently sit at 20-19, which would give them the West's final playoff spot (No. 8 seed) if the playoffs would begin tomorrow. New Orleans: The Pelicans are used to dealing with injury scares related to Anthony Davis and they are likely to be without him tonight. Davis left Monday's 112-109 win over the Detroit Pistons with an ankle injury and is considered doubtful. Davis missed five of the first 39 games with various injuries and watched his team go 3-2 without him. However, his latest injury doesn't appear to be something that will keep him out an extended period. "We've done it, and we've won games without him," New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry told reporters of Davis, who had x-rays come back negative. "That gives the team confidence right there. Obviously, we would rather have him in the game, but if he goes out, I think it's great that our guys can maintain what we were trying to do, and even lose a lead, execute at the end of the game and be able to win a close game." New Orleans is confident it can win without Davis because it has another double-double machine on the inside in DeMarcus Cousins, who scored 16 of his 20 points after Davis' injury on Monday and added 10 rebounds for his sixth consecutive double-double. That improved offense I was talking about earlier is "for real." The Pelicans are averaging 110.8 PPG (4th) on 49.0% shooting (2nd). Memphis: The Grizzlies sure aren't about to feel sorry for any team going through injury problems after their season went off the rails when Conley, went down nearly two months ago with an Achilles issue. Memphis is 5-22 without Conley in the lineup and has been off since Friday, after dropping the opener of the two-game homestand 102-100 to the Washington Wizards. Memphis has its own star big man in center Marc Gasol (18.3 & 8.5) but he is carrying a much heavier load with Conley out. He says he likes the challenge but the bottom line is, he just doesn't have much help. The exception is swingman Tyreke Evans, who is averaging 25.3 points over the last eight games. That surge has him taking over the team lead in scoring at 19.7 PPG, while adding 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists.That said, no other player scores in double digits and the team averages only 98.9 PPG (29th) on 44.5% shooting (26th). The pick: Memphis has beaten New Orleans in eight of its last 10 meetings but this Memphis team now owns the West's worst record and only the 11-30 Hawks own a worse record in the entire NBA than the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are long gone from the playoff discussion in the West, looking ahead instead to the draft lottery, as Conley has no timetable for a return. Meanwhile, when New Orleans PG Rajon Rondo is on the court, the Pelicans offense is 4.6 points per 100 possessions better. Make New Orleans a 10* play. |
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01-10-18 | Northern Iowa +1.5 v. Indiana State | Top | 67-69 | Loss | -101 | 19 h 10 m | Show |
The set-up: The 8-8 Northern Iowa Panthers will travel to the Hulman Center in Terre Haute to take on the 7-9 Indiana State Sycamores this Wednesday night in MVC action. For UNI, back-to-back second round NCAA appearances (in 2015 and 2016) seem 'light years' away right now, after the Panthers went 14-16 last season and have opened the current season 8-8. As for Indiana State, the Sycamores came into the current season off 15, 15 and 11-win win seasons, so this yerars 7-9 start (2-2 in MVC play), is "business as usual." Northern Iowa: Making the Panthers' 8-8 record much worse than .500 is the fact that they have lost six in a row, including opening MVC play at 0-4. Northern Iowa held a 48-45 lead late in the 2nd half in its most recent game against Loyola-Chicago but struggled offensively down the stretch and allowed the Ramblers to come away with a 56-50 victory last Saturday, after the Panthers scored just two points over the final 4:30 of regulation. Leading the way for the Panthers was 6-10 senior Bennett Koch who had 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks. Koch (13.9 & 6.8) is the lone UNI player averaging in double digits and the team averages only 64.6 PPG (336th) on 41.8% shooting (301st). Indiana State: The Sycamores lost 75-72 this past Saturday against Drake. Indiana State struggled offensively in the first half and although the Sycamores fought back, they couldn’t overcome the 39-29 lead Drake entered halftime with. Indiana State allowed Drake to shoot 53.1% from the floor, which is unacceptable. Leading the way for the Sycamores was guard Brenton Scott who had 25 points and seven steals. This is a guard-oriented team, with the team's top-four scorers all playing on the perimeter. PG Barnes leads in scoring (16.5) and assists (4.3), followed by Scott (14.8 & 5.2), Davis (10.4 & 5.2) and Key (8.2). Murphy is an undersized 6-7 center (7.9 & 4.2) and the best frontcourt contributor. Indiana State averages 74.1 PPG but also allows 73.5 points. The pick: Not used to seeing Northern Iowa on a six-game slide and note that despite its woes, the Panthers are an excellent defensive team, holding opponents to 60.8 PPG (7th) on 38.2% shooting (13th). Take Northern Iowa and the points as a 10* play. |
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01-09-18 | Tennessee -2 v. Vanderbilt | Top | 92-84 | Win | 100 | 12 h 5 m | Show |
The set-up: The Tennessee Vols are 10-4 on the season. They dropped their first two SEC games but a 76-65 home win over Kentucky kept them in the AP's latest poll at No. 24. The Vols travel to Nashville on Tuesday to face the 6-9 Vanderbilt Commodores, who have also dropped two of their first three league contests, after falling 71-60 Saturday at South Carolina. Vanderbilt knocked off Alabama with strong three-point shooting last Tuesday,but finished just 8-for-29 from three-point range and were hindered by turnovers and charging fouls in the defeat to the Gamecocks. “If we erase four of those charges and kick it out for 3’s, it could have been a much different ending to the game, a lot tighter,” Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew told the media afterward. Tennessee: Rick Barnes had publicly challenged his team last week regarding its lack of "toughness" but the Vols rallied from eight points down at halftime to beat Kentucky by double digits. “We showed toughness,” 6-5 Tennessee forward Admiral Schofield (12.9 & 5.6) told reporters after scoring 20 points with nine rebounds against Kentucky. “It’s time to get that back. I think we are the hardest-playing team in the country, and we’ve just got to go out and show it.” 6-7 forward Grant Williams (15.8 & 6.8) provided a huge boost against the Wildcats, scoring 16 of his 18 points after halftime and finishing with eight rebounds. Guards Bowden (10.5), Turner (9.9), Bone (9.0 & 3.4 APG) and Daniel (6.9 & 3.7 APG) plus the 6-11 Alexander (5.6), join top scorers Williams and Schofield in getting 20 minutes-plus per game. Tennessee leads the SEC and ranks 18th nationally in assists per game (17.9), finishing Saturday with 23 assists on 25 made field goals. Vanderbilt; The 6-6 Roberson (14.5 & 8.1) is the 'Dores best player, supported by a trio of guards including the 6-5 Fisher-Davis (12.3 & 5.3), LaChance (10.9) and freshman Lee (10.5), who scored a team-high 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the floor against South Carolina and is averaging 17.7 points through three SEC games. However, the Commodores are last in the SEC in shooting from the floor (40.9 percent) and scoring (71.0 points per game). The pick: These in-state rivals meet Tuesday night in Memorial Gymnasium. Tennessee leads the series 118-75 and the Vols have had their share of success in Memorial\ Gym. Starting with Vandy's 72-69 win in 2007-08 over then then-top-ranked Tennessee, the teams have alternated wins each season at Vanderbilt, including Tennessee's 87-75 upset last year. The Vols' strength is in their balance. Seven players average 20 minutes or more, and five average nine points or more (see above). Why not take teh road team here? Vanderbilt is 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games overall and 0-7 ATS in their last seven home games. Make Tennessee a 10* play. |
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01-09-18 | Heat v. Raptors -5 | Top | 90-89 | Loss | -108 | 9 h 24 m | Show |
analysis soon |
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01-08-18 | Rockets -5 v. Bulls | Top | 116-107 | Win | 100 | 21 h 32 m | Show |
The set-up: The Chicago Bulls went a perfect 7-0 SU & ATS when Nikola Mirotic returned to the court and won 10 of the first 12 games in which he played. However, the Bulls have dropped four of their last five games, although only Saturday's 125-86 loss at Indiana was non-competitive. The Bulls will try to put that ugly loss behind them when they welcome the Houston Rockets to the United Center on Monday. Things have not gone well for the Rockets lately, as their Saturday 108-101 loss at Detroit in the opener of a two-game trip was the team's seventh time in its last nine games. Houston was once 25-4 but now checks in at 27-11. In contrast, after opening 3-20, the Bulls are now 14-26. Houston: "I don't know if we're a tired team or what, but even starting the game our offense flowed," Houston head coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters. "But, you're only up six and I didn't think the intensity on defense was there and sometimes that caused some tired legs or whatever. So, we've got to regroup and get ready for the next game." The Rockets owned the NBA's best record before their recent slump and shot just 42.2 percent from the floor in Saturday's loss. "We just couldn't get in the flow of knocking down shots," shooting guard Eric Gordon told reporters. "I thought we battled pretty hard, but when you're not knocking down shots, it's kind of tough." Making it harder to knock down shots and loosen up opposing defenses is the absence of James Harden (32.3-5.0-9.1), who sat out the last two games and reportedly could miss up to six weeks due to a hamstring strain. Gordon (19.5), Chris Paul (17.2-5.4-9.3) and the recently signed Gerald Green (16.5 in six games) will need to make up the slack. Can they? Chicago: With Mirotic back and leading the team in scoring at 17.4 PPG in his 17 games), Chicago averaged 111.3 points in 16 games prior to Saturday, when it shot 37.5 percent from the floor and was out of the game after totaling 37 points in the first half. Second-year point guard Kris Dunn is trying to become a consistent scoring threat but followed up a career-high 32-point outburst in Friday's win at Dallas with eight points on 4-of-10 shooting in 28 minutes against the Pacers. Still, Dunn (13.7-4.7-6.2) looks like he's going to be a good player and 7-0 rookie Laurie Markkanen (14.9 & 7.5) just may be the league's best 'freshman.' The pick: Is Chicago falling back to earth after its recent surge? We also need to find out just how well the Rockets can function with Chris Paul running the offense. However, Houston's recent slide has more to do with its struggles, defensively. Houston was allowing 110.9 points per 100 possessions,(26th in the league) in the last 10 games thru Jan. 3). All the above noted, Houston is still a significantly better team than the Bulls and Green has done all (and more) than Houston good have expected, shooting 50.8% from the floor, including 51.0% from three-point range. Center Capela is a double-double man now (14.2 & 11.) and I'll lay the short price with Houston. Make the Rockets a 10* play. |
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01-07-18 | Jazz v. Heat -4.5 | Top | 102-103 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 30 m | Show |
The set-up: The Miami Heat opened 11-30 last season and despite a 30-11 mark the remainder of the way to finish 41-41, the Heat missed the postseason field by losing a tie-breaker to the 41-41 Bulls. Miami matched its longest winning streak of the season by beating the New York Knicks in overtime for a third consecutive triumph on Friday, giving Miami a 21-17 record which puts them in much better position as the current season nears its mid-point. The Heat will try to keep rolling on Sunday when they host the slumping Utah Jazz, who have lost 12 of their last 15 games to fall to 16-23, leaving them in 10th-place in the West, 3 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot. Utah: The Jazz got off to a promising start but the team has unraveled, quickly. It hasn't helped that 7-foot center Rudy Gobert )11.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks) has been out with a left knee injury since Dec. 15. He should return later this month but without Gobert, 6-10, 265-pound power forward Derrick Favors has slid to the center spot and Utah is diminished on the boards and in terms of shot-blocking. Favors is averaging 12.6 & 6.8 but just 0.9 blocks. Backup center Ekpe Udoh doesn't get much playing time, averaging 2.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. The bright spot continues to be rookie guard Donovan Mitchell (18.2-3.3-3.4), who is averaging 22.6 points since the beginning of December. Miami: The Heat have opened up their offense in the team's current winning streak, averaging 111.7 PPG (season average is 100.8 PPG, which ranks 28th). Shooting guard Wayne Ellington hoisted up a franchise-record 16 3-point attempts (made six) on Friday and finished with a team-high 24 points. Ellington averages 10.5 PPG and is shooting 41.5 percent from beyond the arc on the season. The Heat have finally settled into a groove and currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. "We're definitely heading in the right direction," Heat power forward Kelly Olynyk (10.5 & 6.0) said. "We're getting bodies back (from the injured list). We're playing together and playing hard. You can see the chemistry is starting to come together." The pick: Olynyk's remark about injured players is true, as center Hassan Whiteside (14.0 & 11.6 in 20 games) recently returned to the lineup. Reserve forward James Johnson (10.7-5.0-4.0) is also back, and point guard Goran Dragic (16.7-4.1-4.8) is getting better from a nagging elbow injury. Utah opened is four-game road trip with a 99-91 loss at Denver on Friday, as the the defense fell apart during a third quarter in which it was outscored 38-16. The Jazz are now 3-16 SU (6-13 ATS) on the road and it doesn't figure to get any better, here. Make Miami a 10* play. |
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01-07-18 | Davidson -4 v. George Mason | Top | 86-59 | Win | 100 | 11 h 53 m | Show |
The set-up: Bob McKillop has had some career at Davidson. He's currently in his 29th season and has led the Wildcats to eight NCAA berths, including the school's memorable 2008 run to the Elite 8 (ever heard of Steph Curry?). However, last year's team was a disappointing 17-15, coming off five 20-win seasons, including three NCAA berths. However, Davidson lost only one starter from last season, so this year's 6-7 start is a big disappointment. The Wildcats will visit EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Va. on Sunday to take on the George Mason Patriots, who also check in under .500 at 7-8. Davidson: The Wildcats have won two of their last three and will square off against GMU with pretty much a "three-man team." The 6-7 Ekwu hasn't played this season and the 6-10 Kovacevic went down with an injury in early Dec. The 6-7 Aldridge (21.1 & 6.9) has been excellent, as has freshman guard Grady (15.7). However, the only other player averaging more than 6.2 PPG is sophomore guard Jon Axel Gudmundson (13.7-6.1-5.0). George Mason: The Patriots' glory days are long gone, although GMU did go 20-14 last year, after winning 11, nine and 11 games the previous three seasons. The Patriots' five starters all play about 27-plus minutes with four in double figures. Guard Livingston (15.5 & 4.4 APG) leads the way, joined on the perimeter by Grayer (13.9 & 7.5) and Kier (11.9 & 4.5). The 6-7 Mar (11.9 & 4.4) joins that trio in double digits. The pick: Both teams have been disappointments but I'll take Davidson's "pedigree." GMU has been a poor pointspread team for awhile, going just 19-42-2 ATS in the team's last 63 games following an ATS win. GMU is just 1-5 ATS in the team's last six games overall and 1-6 ATS in its last seven home games. Make Davidson a 10* play. |
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01-06-18 | Nuggets -4.5 v. Kings | Top | 98-106 | Loss | -108 | 13 h 10 m | Show |
The set-up: The 21-17 Denver Nuggets are gaining confidence by winning five of their last seven games. Sure it's too early to be looking at one's playoff positioning "too hard," but the Nuggets do currently own the West's No. 6 seed and find themselves 3 1/2 games clear of the West's playoff 'cut line.' Again, it may be too early to write any team off, but the Kings have dropped five of their last six games and allowed a season worst for points in Tuesday's 131-111 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Sacramento enters this contest 12-25 and the team is already seven games out of the West's final playoff berth with four teams in between them and that final spot (that means five teams to climb over!). Denver: The Nuggets have rarely been known for their defense but the team's current 5-2 run began with them allowing an average of 83 points during a three-game winning streak that included an epic effort while holding the potent Golden State Warriors to just 81. Denver's defense was also at its best in the third quarter of Friday's game when the club outscored the Jazz 38-16 to take a 19-point lead into the final quarter. Third-year forward Trey Lyles scored a career-best 26 points against his former teammates on Friday and has suddenly scored in double digits in 12 of the past 13 games. Lyles (10.2 & 4.8) was given a larger role after All-Star power forward Paul Millsap suffered a wrist injury and his latest performance included four 3-pointers as well as seven rebounds. Guards Harris (16.5) and Murray (16.0) are the team's top scorers but the team's most important player, especially with Millsap sidelined, is 6-10 center Jokic (15.9 & 10.2). Jokic had a rare off night Friday, scoring just eight points on 3-of-13 shooting, to end a string of nine straight double-digit efforts. Sacramento: About the only good news in Friday's 20-point loss to the Hornets was that rookie PG De'Aaron Fox (quadriceps) returned from a six-game absence to score 17 points. PF Zach Randolph (15.4 & 6.9) has been the Kings' best player this season and he recorded 24 points and 10 rebounds versus Charlotte, but it was his first double-double since Dec. 10. Buddy Hield was the key piece in Sacramento's trade of Cousins to the Pelicans but while he's connecting on 45.5% from three-point range, the Kings must have been expecting him to score more than the 10.6 PPG he's averaged so far. Getting back to rookie PG Fox, he's averaging a modest 9.7 PPG (in about 25 minutes per) but more troubling is his 40.3 FG percentage, including 28.6 from three-point range (remind you of Lonzo Ball?). The pick: The Nuggets have won this season's first two meetings by an average of 16.5 PPG, extendng their winning streak over the Kings to four in a row. Sacramento's defense was horrid in the loss to Charlotte as it allowed the Hornets to shoot 57.3 percent from the floor, including 15-of-32 from three-point range. "It has me speechless, there's nothing to say," guard Garrett Temple told reporters. "We have to guard. We have to man up and play defense, defend guys. ... I don't care how young we are, we have to defend." The Kings are allowing an average of 118.7 PPG over the past three games (all losses) and I see no reason for them to get things turned around here vs. a Denver team which seems to be jelling (10-2 ATS run!). Make Denver a 10* play. |
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01-06-18 | Duke -11 v. NC State | Top | 85-96 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 15 m | Show |
The set-up: The No. 2 Blue Devils (13-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) have played just twice since their Dec. 9 loss at Boston College. They've won each of those home games, first against Evansville and then 100-93 vs. No. 24 Florida State last Saturday. "That was an amazing game, because both teams played great,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters after his team survived allowing 15 makes from three-point range by FSU and missing 11 of its own 25 free throws. “We couldn’t stop each other. And the will to win and will to score was evidence by both teams. For us to win that game, is sensational for our group of four freshmen.” Duke travels to play the 10-5 Wolfpack at PNC Arena, where N.C. State will be making its ACC home debut under first-year coach Kevin Keatts. The Wolfpack opened with two ACC road games for the first time in a decade, falling to Clemson and Notre Dame in lopsided results. Duke: Marvin Bagley III continues his outstanding freshman season as the 6-11 forward is making 63.0 percent of his FG attempts with 11 double-doubles while averaging 21.9 points and 11.6 rebounds. Senior guard Grayson Allen scored 22 against Florida State and has connected on 41 of 94 attempts from three-point range overall (43.6%), averaging 17.4 points and dishing out 4.4 assists per contest. Freshman forward Wendell Carter Jr. (6-10) is shooting 61 percent from the floor overall and averaging 13.7 points (16.5 over the last four contests) along with 8.9 rebounds. Rounding out Coach K's "Fab 4 Freshmen" are Gary Trent Jr. (13.0 & 4.5) and Trevon Duval (12.0 & 6.6 APG). Duke is the nation's second-highest scoring team (94.5 PPG) and is shooting 51.3% as a team (9th). N.C. State: The Wolfpack hardly looked ready for prime time in losing their first two ACC games. They averaged just 60.0 PPG in losing to Clemson and Notre Dame, while allowing 83.0 PPG. “I just try to tell my team to not keep their heads down,” senior forward Abdul-Malik Abu told the Raleigh News & Observer. “There are a lot more coming. There are a lot more teams. This is not the end of the world, but it’s not a good feeling at the same time.”Senior guard Allerik Freeman leads a normally productive offense (82.5 PPG ranks 43rd) while averaging 15.3 points and junior backcourt mate Torin Dorn is second on the team in scoring with 13.2 PPG plus a team-high 7.6 RPG. The 6-8 Lennard Freeman (11.6 & 5.3) plus 7-0 center Omer Yurtseven (11.4 & 8.7) are both in double digits, as is guard Beverly (10.2). PG Johnson chips in 8.7 PPG and a team-leading 6.6 APG. The pick: Duke has been off since beating FSU last Saturday and the week off will help with four games in the next 10 days, including trips to Pittsburgh and Miami (Fla.. The Blue Devils' offense was hitting on all cylinders vs. FSU and "The Pack" will have Coach K’s full attention after the Wolfpack's 84-82 upset win at Cameron Indoor last season. N.C. State seems doomed to be a doormat in the 'loaded' ACC this season. Lay the points and make Duke a 10* play. |
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01-05-18 | Raptors v. Bucks +1 | Top | 129-110 | Loss | -108 | 12 h 27 m | Show |
The set-up: The Bucks have won three of four and at 20-16, currently own the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. The team's lone loss in that aforementioned span came just this past Monday, when Milwaukee lost 131-127 in OT at Toronto. The Raptors visit the Bradley Center in Milwaukee tonight on a three-game winning streak which leaves them 26-10 on the season, good enough for the East's No. 2 seed (Toronto is 2 1/2 games back of the Celtics and two games up on the Cavs). Toronto: The Bucks could not figure out how to contain Toronto star DeMar DeRozan in Monday's loss, as the shooting guard scored a Raptors franchise-record 52 points. The backcourt duo of DeRozan (25.2-4.3-5.0) and Lowry (16.2-5.1-6.9) is top-notch plus PF Ibaka (13.8 & 6.1) and center Valanciunas (10.6 & 7.60 are quality players. DeRozan has been especially hot since the calendar flipped to 2018, averaging 48.5 points in Toronto's last two contests. While DeRozan, Lowry, Ibaka and Valanciunas have been the driving force this season, Delon Wright (8.8) set a career high against Chicago in Toronto's most recent game with 25 points and 13 rebounds, plus Fred VanVleet (6.3) added 13 on 5-of-7 shooting, marking his ninth double-digit scoring game of the season. The Raptors are the NBA's third-highest scoring team at 111.6 PPG. Milwaukee: The Bucks are creeping up the standings in the Eastern Conference and quickly bounced back from their Jan. 1 loss in Toronto by cruising past the Indiana Pacers 122-101 on Wednesday. The rout allowed Giannis Antetokounmpo to sit out the entire fourth quarter. "We would all like to have a game like this where you can keep them under 30 minutes, but unfortunately that hasn't happened a lot this year," Bucks head coach Jason Kidd told reporters. "So, this is a good win, especially having that game in Toronto (on Monday)." Milwaukee shot 58.7 percent from the floor and handed out 33 assists on Wednesday, with Matthew Dellavedova (nine), Malcolm Brogdon (five) and Eric Bledsoe (five) joining Antetokounmpo (five) in getting the whole team involved. Antetokounmpo (29.1-10.4-4.3) is a superstar but SF Middleton (20.6 & 5.7) and guard Bledsoe (18.2-4.1-4.5) are players any team would want. The pick: I realize that Toronto has won 15 of 18 but this is a quick "re-hook" for these two teams from a New Year’s Day contest. I feel confident in saying that DeRozan won't get 52 points again and remember, even with his record output, the Raptors needed OT (at Home!) to edge the Bucks.by just four points. The Bradley Center setting gives Milwaukee the edge in this quick turnaround. Make the Bucks a 10* play |
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01-05-18 | NC-Wilmington v. Towson -11 | Top | 71-89 | Win | 100 | 11 h 22 m | Show |
The set-up: The NC-Wilmington Seahawks will travel to SECU Arena to take on the Towson Tigers this Friday night in Colonial Athletic Association action. The Seahawks improved to 4-10 (1-1 CAA) on the season after defeating Drexel,107-87 this past Tuesday. As for the Tigers, they opened the season with a conference loss at Old Dominion (how rare is that!), before running off 10 consecutive wins. However, Towson comes into this contest having lost four straight games to fall to 10-5. Tuesday's 75-72 defeat at the hands of Elon, also leaves the Tigers 0-2 in CAA play. NC-Wilimington: The Seahawks had little trouble putting up points against the Drexel defense and had a double-digit lead throughout the second half after taking a 57-40 halftime lead. UNC-Wilmington shot 58.7% from the floor. However, that effort is the exception, not the rule, so far this season. The Seahawks have two excellent players in the 6-7 Cacok (18.1 & 13.4) and PG Talley (16.4 & 5.1 APG) but while the team can score (81.3 PPG), it's defense is a sieve. NC-Wilmington is allowing 85.0 PPG (343rd) on 47.8% shooting (318th). Towson: The Tigers returned four starters from last year's team and their current skid is surprising. Guards Martin (18.7) and Morsell (12.1) are supported by six players all getting 15-plus MPG, while chipping in between 3.1 and 8.5 PPG. SF Keith (7.8 & 5.4) and the 6-7 Gorham (7.2 & 5.5) are the team's best frontcourt players. Towson (74.3 PPG) can't quite score with Wilmington but the Tigers play solid defense, allowing a modest 65.8 PPG (51st), while holding opponents to just 39.6% shooting from thge floor (34th). The pick: The Seahawks won and covered their last game but prior to that, had b 0-9een ATS in lined games this season, including 0-4 SU & ATS in lined true road games. Towson's four-game skid has all come in road contests and the Tigers are a perfect 5-0 SU at home this season (5-1-1 ATS run at home, going back into last season). Make Towson a 10* play. |
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01-04-18 | Thunder -1 v. Clippers | Top | 127-117 | Win | 100 | 15 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: The OKC Thunder will play a second consecutive game in Staples Center, having defeated the LA Lakers 133-96 on Wednesday. The Thunder righted themselves from a two-game skid that had followed a six-game winning streak. The Clippers have won four straight games and six of their last seven. Five of those six victories have come at Staples Center, as the Clippers are in the midst of one of their longest home stretches of the season. Tonight's game will be the Clippers' fifth consecutive at Staples Center (one game was as the visiting team against the Lakers) and they will run that streak to seven consecutive when they host the Warriors on Saturday and the Hawks on Monday. Oklahoma City: The Thunder "took no prisoners" in last night's win over the Lakers, the team's seventh in its last nine games. OKC (20-17) shot a season-best 60.2 percent from the floor plus established a season best for points scored in Wednesday's 133-96 rout. Reigning MVP Russell Westbrook had 20 points and 12 assists to run his streak of consecutive 20-point outings to 11, while reaching double digits in assists for the sixth time in seven games. Westbrook's numbers are down from last year but the team seems to be finally finding "a balance" between its three superstars. OKC is 13-5 since Dec. 1 suggesting that head coach Billy Donovan has finally figured out how to fit Paul George (20.7 & 5.4) and Carmelo Anthony (17.6 & 6.0) around Russell Westbrook (24.7-9.5-10.1). LA Clippers: Blake Griffin (23.5-7.7-5.3) has been back for the last three games (all wins), after missing 14 straight. However, the team's most explosive player over the last seven games has been veteran guard Lou Williams (13th year). Williams (21.7 PPG and 4.8 APG would both be career single-season bests) is on a scoring spree and it is equating to victories. He'll look to score 30-plus points for the fifth time in the past seven games tonight against OKC, as the Clippers go for their seventh win in the last eight contests. Los Angeles (17-19) has won six consecutive home games and nine of its last 13 overall contests as it closes in on the .500 mark after getting off to a poor start. Thge pick: If a team has to play back-to-back games on the road, it can't ask for more than this situation, as OKC players didn't even have to check out of the hotel after beating the Lakers right here at Staples Center last night. Griffin may be back for LA and as noted, Williams has been great but Beverley (12.2) is out for the year, Gallinari (13.4 & 4.4) won't be back for awhile and Rivers (15.8) is listed as questionable after sitting out the past two games (Achilles). I've already noted that the offense is beginning to "find a groove" but OKC's defense is allowing just 100.4 PPG on the season, third-best in the NBA. Plus, how about this? George and Westbrook are first and second in the league in steals, collecting 2.45 and 2.00 respectively. Make OKC a 10* play. |
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01-04-18 | USC v. California +7 | Top | 80-62 | Loss | -115 | 23 h 41 m | Show |
The set-up: USC returned all five starters from last year's 26-win team and after a 3-0 start was ranked No. 10 in the AP poll. The Trojans were still No. 14 after suffering their first loss of the season (at home to A&M), dropping them to 4-1. However, two more losses followed and at 4-3, USC was out of the top-25. The Trojans are currently 10-5 (have wons six of eight since that three-game skid), including going 1-1 in Pac 12 play after opening with a home loss to Washington last Friday, but then beating Washington State on Sunday. Cal came into this season off seasons of 23 and 21 wins but also with a first-year heads coach in Wyking Jones, who would have just one starter coming back. Cal checks in 7-7 but most of its wins have come against some mediocre-to-bad teams, including a 77-74 victory over Stanford in the team's Pac 12 opener. The Bears had to crawl back from 17 points down against Stanford, a 6-8 team which has lost to Eastern Washington (6-9), Portland St. and Long Beach St. (6-10). USC: The Trojans feature an excellent starting-five, led by the 6-11 Metu (17.8 & 7.6) and the 6-10 Boatwright (16.8 & 7.0). Rounding out the group are guards McLaughlin (12.9-4.0-8.0), Stewart (12.5) and Mathews (9.4). The team's sixth-man is the 6-11 Rakocevic (6.5 & 5.2). Metu is considered a potential NBA lottery pick but was ejected late in the first half against Washington State after he ran by Washington St. guard Carter Skaggs, who was shooting a three-pointer in front of the Trojans' bench, and punched him in the groin. USC coach Andy Enfield said Metu will sit out the first half against the Bears, surrender his captaincy and sent a letter of apology to Skaggs, Cal: The Bears have a mix of veterans and freshman in both the backcourt and frontcourt. Junior guard Coleman (20.1) is the team's leading scorer and his backcourt partner is freshman McNeill (13.4). Up front, 6-11 senior Lee (12.6 & 7.8) is paired with 6-7 freshman Sueing (12.0 & 5.7). Cal sputtered out of the gate with a 3-6 start that included head-scratching losses to UC Riverside (74-66), Central Arkansas (96-69) and Division II Chaminade (96-72) but the Bears have been better since. Cal does own a nice win at Mountain West heavyweight San Diego State (63-62) and while Stanford is going nowhere in the Pac 12 this season, when a team can come back from 17 points down to win, it deserves some props. The pick: USC won't have Metu and while Haas Pavilion may not be the most intimidating venue in the Pac 12 these days, Cal is still 37-8 straight up its previous 45 home games. Take the points and make Cal a 10* play! |
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01-03-18 | Raptors -5 v. Bulls | Top | 124-115 | Win | 100 | 12 h 25 m | Show |
The set-up: The 25-10 Toronto Raptors have quietly moved into second-place among all Eastern Conference teams, one game better than the Cleveland Cavaliers and 2 1/2 games behind the Boston Celtics, who hold down the East's top spot. Toronto (25-10) went 11-3 in December and will head to 13-24 Chicago Wednesday night having won eight of its last 10 games. Chicago won 10 of 12 games following Nikola Mirotic's return from facial fractures but has dropped the its last two games two at Washington and home against Portland. The two defeats have come by a total of just eight points and the Bulls have squandered leads late in each of the setbacks. Toronto: DeMar DeRozan set a Toronto franchise record with 52 points in a 131-127 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday (the previous team record of 51 points shared by Vince Carter and Terrence Ross) . "He was playing with a lot of juice, oomph," Raptors head coach Dwane Casey told reporters of DeRozan. "You could see the bounce in his step in the first quarter, the force he was playing with coming off pick-and-rolls, bouncing up, and he maintained that throughout the whole game, which was huge for him." DeRozan (24.9-4.3-4.9) made17-of-29 from the floor and was 13-of-13 from the line (he also handed out a team-high eight assists). PG Lowry (16.2-6.1-7.0) joins DeRozan to give Toronto one of the NBA's best backcourt while PF Ibaka (13.7 & 6.1) and center Valanciunas (10.9 & 7.6) are the team's frontcourt stalwarts. Toronto is the NBA's third-highest scoring team at 111.2 PPG and do a decent job on the defensive end as well, allowing 103.5 PPG (10th). Chicago: Mirotic is averaging a team-high 18.3 PPG in his 14 games, while adding 7.3 PPG. However, while his return has been the spark that led to Chicago's recent run of strong play, it wasn't the only factor. Second-year PGKris Dunn is averaging 15.8 points and 8.1 assists over his last 13 games and scored 22 points in Monday's 124-120 overtime loss to the Trail Blazers. "We're clicking right now," Dunn told reporters. "We're playing good basketball. These two losses, they definitely hurt. When they're down the stretch, and you feel like you can win the games, it's hard to swallow. But we're playing good basketball, and I like what we're doing so far." Let's not forget to mention rookie Markkanen, who is easily been one of the league's best 'freshman' so far, averaging 14.7 & 7.4. The pick: The Raptors have taken each of the first two meetings this season with the Bulls, although both games were in Toronto. The Bulls are a money-making 13-2 ATS their last 15 but are entering a stretch in which most of their games will be against teams with winning records.Chicago has begun to have some trouble closing out tight games. The Bulls will enter Wednesday's game attempting to overcome a pair of losses in which they couldn't finish games when it mattered most. After a four-point loss Sunday against Washington when the Wizards scored the final seven points, Chicago again lost by four against Portland and again blew a lead in the final minute with the Trail Blazers playing without leading scorer Damian Lillard. I see that happening here. Make Toronto a 10* play. |
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01-03-18 | St. John's v. Creighton -12 | Top | 71-78 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 18 m | Show |
The set-up: It's Big East action tonight from CenturyLink Center in Omaha, as the St. John’s Red Storm visit the Creighton Bluejays. The Red Storm went 10-2 in non-conference play but have opened Big East action 0-2, losing to Providence and Seton Hall. St John's is 10-4 (0-2 Big East) as it takes the court against 11-3 Creighton, which has split its first two league games, losing to Seton Hall back on Dec. 28 but bouncing back to beat Providence in its most recent outing. St. John's: This is Chris Mullins third season coaching at his alma mater and after seasons of six and 14 wins, he has to be happy about his team's 10 wins before Jan. 1. The Red Storm have five players scoring in double digits,, led by PG Ponds (20.1-6.2-4.8) and fellow guard LoVett (14.9). The problem is that Ponds is questionable with a knee injury and LoVett is out with an ankle injury (he's missed the last seven games). A pair of 6-7 forwards in Ahmed (11.7 & 4.7) and Clark (11.5 & 4.2) plus 6-5 guard Simon (10.6-7.9-4.8) will be asked to do more. Mullins will also hope that the 6-11 Tariq Owens (7.7 & 6.3) can repeat his season highs of 19 points and 14 boards (vs. Seton Hall), here. However, even at 100 percent, St. John's averages a modest 73.8 PPG (214th), although the defense has done well, allowing 65.9 PPG (52nd) on 39.0 percent shooting (29th). Creighton: The Bluejays have been one of the nation’s most productive offensive teams, averaging 91.1 PPG (4th) on 51.4% shooting (8th). Guards Foster (19.0) and Thomas (14.8) lead the way with the team's best frontcourt player being the 6-9 Krampelj, who is chipping in 12.6 & 7.0. The Slovenian has averaged 18 points and nine rebounds in the first two Big East games. The Bluejays also have excellent depth, contributing to the team's offensive success. The pick: We knpw LoVett will miss and Ponds may, so it seems highly unlikely the Red Storm have the firepower to 'hang' vs. the Bluejays, who have won the last four meetings between the two schools, scoring at least 80 in all four contests. Make Creighton a 10* play. |
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01-02-18 | Grizzlies v. Clippers -5 | Top | 105-113 | Win | 100 | 15 h 28 m | Show |
The set-up: Blake Griffin has made a faster return than expected from a sprained knee and has averaged 24.5 PPG in his two games back on the court. The Clipps have won both of them but had begun a turnaround before he got back on the floor, as they'll go for a sixth victory in their last seven games. The now 16-19 Clippers will welcome the Memphis Grizzlies to Staples Center on Tuesday, a team which has also had a sudden surge, winning three of its last five. Memphis: In fairness, the Grizzlies have (had) nowhere to go but up. PG Mike Conley (17.1 & 4.1 APG) has been shelved since last playing on Nov.13 to deal with his Achilles. Memphis would lose 17 of its next 19 before little 3-2 "mini-run." Swingman Tyreke Evans has been excellent (19.6-5.1-4.6) and center Marc Gasol (18.5 & 8.5) is an established All Star but no other player is averaging in double digits on the season. To put it mildly, the Grizzlies have struggled offensively for most of the season (98.7 PPG ranks 29th) but are suddenly averaging 112.6 points while winning three of their last five contests. "I think if you take a look at our past five games, our scoring is up, our shooting percentages are up, our assists are up and our turnovers are down," interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "So that's the growth that we've been looking for in our offense." Memphis is a stellar 29-of-51 from three-point range over the past two games, going a torrid 15-of-21 in a loss to the Golden State Warriors and following up with a 14-of-30 effort in Sunday's 114-96 road win against the Sacramento Kings Evans had 26 points versus the Kings for his eighth 20-point outing in the past nine contests. "He's had that edge all year," Memphis center Marc Gasol told reporters after Evans torched his former team. "He's had that same mentality, so don't take it like he came in here and did something he hasn't done every game. He's come with that aggressiveness." LA Clippers: Griffin missed14 games due to his knee injury (Clippers were 6-8).but he contributed 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists as Los Angeles recorded a 106-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday (he had 24 points in his return in Friday's win over the Lakers). Guard Lou Williams (in his 13th season) has found teh 'fountain of youth,' pouring in 40 points and contributed eight assists in Sunday's 106-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. He made six 3-pointers in the contest and has made 24 threes over the past five games while averaging 30.4 points. "I always feel like I can get it going, but to see it early, it puts me in a different mindset, in an attack mode," Williams said afterward. "Once I get two or three early, that way I can just get everybody else involved." Williams checks in averaging a career-high 21.4 PPG (also 4.8 APG would be a career-high, as well). The pick: Surprisingly, the Grizzlies are 2-0 against the Clippers this season, including a 115-112 victory on Dec. 23 despite a career-best 38 points from LA's Austin Rivers (15.8 PPG). However, .Rivers (Achilles) is questionable after sitting out Sunday. Still, the Clippers have centere Jordan (11.0 & 15.3) to match up with Gasol and I expect the Clippers to exact some revenge here. LA's lone loss in winning five of its last six is that Dec 23 loss in Memphis. Lay the points and make LA a 10* play. |
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01-02-18 | Georgetown +4.5 v. DePaul | Top | 90-81 | Win | 100 | 14 h 9 m | Show |
The set-up: It's Big East basketball tonight from Chicago at WinTrust Arena, as the Georgetown Hoyas take on the DePaul Blue Demons. Both schools check in at 0-2 in Conference play, so the victor will earn its first conference win. The Hoyas opened 8-0 under first time head coach Patrick Ewing before losing to former Big Est rival Syracuse. After reaching 10-1, Georgetown lost its Big East opener 91-89 at home to Butler and then lost 74-65 at Marquette. The challenge will be easier here vs. 7-7 DePaul, which is coming off back-to-back nine-win seasons in the return of head coach Dave Leitao (Blue Demons have gone 5-31 in Big Est play under Leitao the last two seasons). Georgetown: The Hoyas are led by the 6-10 Govan (18.4 & 12.2), who has nine double-doubles in 13 games. Guards Derrickson (14.6 & 7.5) and Johnson (10.8 & 5.0) also average in double figures. Patrick Ewing's team has had trouble with ball control during its non-conference schedule but it has been downright atrocious in the Big East. The starting lineup racked up 19 giveaways, including five from point guard Jonathan Mulmore, as the Hoyas finished with more than 20 for the second straight game. The Hoyas have also shot less than 44 percent in their first two league games. An argument could be made that Georgetown’s lightweight schedule is starting to catch up with the Hoyas and their early strong start was no more than a product of weak opposition. DePaul: Yes. DePaul is also 0-2 in Big East play but those losses came against Big East and national 'heavyweights' Villanova and Xavier. Max Strus led the team with 33 points on 10 of 18 shooting while Justin Roberts added 16 points to join Strus as the only Blue Demons to score in double digits in the 77-72 loss to Xavier, last time out. Strus (18.6 & 4.6) is the team's leading scored but Roberts is a freshman who is averaging just 4.9 PPG. Joining Strus in double digits are the 6-11 Maric (12.7 & 5.8), PG Cain (11.5-4.2-3.7) and the 6-7 McCallum (11.0 & 6.0). The pick: DePaul’s two losses came to the best in the conference and could be a positive sign of turning the corner in the Big East. However, I'm not 'biting.' This team has been a league laughing stock for quite some time now (Leitao's return hasn't change anything) and prior to a win in the second meeting last season, DePaul had been on an 0-15 run against Georgetown in Big East games. Make the Hoyas a 10* play. |
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01-01-18 | Magic +2 v. Nets | Top | 95-98 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 1 m | Show |
The set-up: The Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets met twice during the first week of the season with the Nets claiming the first meeting on Oct. 20 in Brooklyn 126-121, while the Magic rebounded four days later for a 125-121 win in Orlando. The Magic opened the current season 8-4 but they've dropped 21 of 25 games since that hot start, including Saturday's 117-111 home loss to Miami in which they squandered an 18-point lead. As for the Nets, Brooklyn hasn't been above .500 since it was 3-2 after a upsetting the Cavs at home back on Oct. 25th, a victory that left them 3-2. The teams meet Monday night at Barclays Center for the third time this season and both are fighting to keep themselves out of the basement in the Eastern Conference. The Nets check in at 13-23 and the Magic at 12-25. Orlando:The Magic still aren't winning but they may finally be getting Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier going at the same time after injuries hindered each player. Gordon scored 39 points on 14-of-22 shooting against the Heat while Fournier contributed 23 on 9-of-17, their best totals since coming back from calf and ankle injuries, respectively. PF Gordon leads the team in scoring at 18.9 PPG plus adds 7.9 RPG. Swingman Fournier is right behind him averaging 18.3 PPG. Orlando needs those two healthy with center Nikola Vucevic (17.4 & 9.3) lost to a broken hand. Bismack Biyombo has recorded two straight double-doubles and is averaging 11.7 rebounds over the course of three straight starts since Vucevic went down. Brooklyn: The Nets know all about losing key players to injury, as Jeremy Lin was lost for the season in the team's season opener and DeAngelo Russell (20.9 & 5.7 APG) went down with a knee injury after just 12 games (he's expected back later this month). Currently, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (15.1 & 6.5) is carrying Brooklyn through its rocky stretch, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in Saturday's loss while helping make a tight game of what looked like a blowout early on. "We stayed poised to make a comeback," Hollis-Jefferson told reporters. "That's basketball. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn't. But for us, now we're definitely competing. It starts with the starting unit, we've got to come out that way. And I feel like the effort's there." He is averaging 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds over his last five games, leading six active Net players in double digits on teh season. The pick: The last time the Brooklyn Nets played a home game, they produced their best showing of the season, delivering a resounding 119-84 win over the Washington Wizards on Dec. 22. The Nets will get several chances in the upcoming weeks to produce more home victories starting tonight, as they play eight of their next 10 games at home. Yes, Orlando has lost six straight on the road but the Magic have also won seven of the last nine meetings with the Nets. Make Orlando a 10* play. |
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01-01-18 | Texas -3 v. Iowa State | Top | 74-70 | Win | 100 | 11 h 26 m | Show |
The set-up: The Longhorns are coming off an awful 11-22 season, so the team's 9-3 start was a welcome sight. Texas easily handled Alabama 66-50 on Dec 22 in the Vulcan Classic at Birmingham, Al. but Kansas was a little too much for the Longhorns in their Big 12 opener, as they fell 92-86 at home to the Jayhawks on Friday. Texas (9-4 / 0-1 Big 12) will visit Hilton Coliseum on Monday to take on the 9-3 Iowa State Cyclones. Iowa State also lost its Big 12 opener, falling on Friday as well, 91-75 at home against Kansas State. Texas: The 6-9 Osetkowski (14.8 & 7.8) is the team's leading scorer and guard Andrew Jones is second on the team with 14.1 PPG. Jones sat out four games with a broken wrist but returned against Kansas but was only able to play nine minutes. Jones' status means more will be expected of guards Roach (11.2) and Coleman (8.0 & 4.2 APG). Coleman sure stepped up vs. Kansas, scoring 17 points with five assists plus matched a season high with six boards. Freshman Mohamed Bamba is 6-11 and regarded as one of the top incoming freshmen in the country this season. He set career highs of 22 points, 15 rebounds and eight blocks vs. Kansas. He enters averaging 11.8 & 10.2 as well as 4.5 blocks per game. Iowa State The Cyclones had a nine-game winning streak going before falling to Kansas State in their last outing. Iowa State had to be disappointed by the home loss but freshman Lindell Wigginton (16.2 & 4.2) wasn’t intimidated in his first Big 12 game, scoring 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He's one of four starters in double digits, joined by fellow guards Jackson (15.0) and Weller-Baab (12.6-7.4-7.1) plus the 6-9 Lard (10.3 & 6.1), who comes off the bench. The pick: Texas coach Shaka Smart got an unexpected surprise last June when the 6-11 Mohamed Bamba chose the Longhorns over expected destinations of Kentucky or Duke, as he's transformed Texas into an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. He, plus the 6-9 Osetkowski will make for tough match ups for Iowa State. The 6-8 Solomon Young (6.8 & 5.7) is the Cyclones' tallest starter and 6-9 Cameron Lard, the team's tallest reserve. Hilton Coliseum is a tough venue but Kansas State didn't have much trouble. Texas has lost fout times but all have all come seven points or less and all have come against quality opponents (Duke, Gonzaga, Michigan and Kansas). Make Texas a 10* play. |