 Baseball's Half Way Mark
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Wednesday July 04, 2007
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The first half of the 2007 baseball season is in the books. There were surprising winners, such as the Brewers and Indians, a surprising managerial resignation in Seattle (Mike Hargrove), and some surprising flops with the Cardinals, White Sox and Yankees. Is anyone primed for a second half surge? The first week of June the Cubs were a bit of a laughingstock at 22-31. After all, they were the biggest free agent spenders, bringing in Alfonso Soriano, manager Lou Piniella, and pitchers Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly. Hopes were high, but they struggled badly out of the gate. At the mid-point Chicago was 40-40, playing much better baseball. Piniella brought up kids from the minor leagues like Felix Pie and Angel Paganto to inject some speed into the order, and continued shuffling what had been a disastrous bullpen. His moves paid of, as the Cubs went 18-9 to get to .500.....It isn't often you find coaches leaving in the middle of a season with a winning record, but that's the case in Seattle. Manager Mike Hargrove has had enough and simply walked away. It was unusual in that the Mariners have been hot, winning 10 of 11 games. John McLaren, the bench coach under Hargrove, takes over. The good news for the new manager is that this team is playing well, hot on the heels of the first place Angels in the AL West and alive for a Wild Card spot. The offense is balanced and third in the AL in hitting, while the pitching has gotten a huge boost from young Felix Hernandez and a deep bullpen. Sports bettors take note: No team has been better against southpaws, going 15-6!
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My Free Sports Pick(s)
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 This is Jim Feist. My free pick of the day is the game between (913) TB Rays and (914) KC Royals.
Take "Under".
The Rays continue to hold onto first place in the AL East over the Red Sox and Yankees. Mat Garza has been pitching well of late, especially his last outing, where he allowed just two hits in 7 2/3 innings for a shutout win over the Blue Jays. In fact, Garza has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last seven starts. Gil Meche goes for the Royals tongith. Meche is 7-9 on the year with a 4.48 era. Meche has also pitched well of late, allowing just one earned run his last game versus the White Sox. Meche has also struck out 94 batters on the season verses just 43 walks. We look for a tight pitchers duel here on Thursday evening, so we'll go UNDER!!
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The Rocket and the Big Unit
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Tuesday June 12, 2007
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With Roger Clemens returning to the Yankees, it sets up a fascinating strikeout battle the rest of the season. This past weekend Clemens fanned 7 which jumped him into second place all time in Ks ahead of Randy Johnson. The next day Johnson fanned 9 to move BACK into second place!.....The Yankees have been hot, but that was against the punchless White Sox and Pirates. This week they play Arizona and the NY Mets, followed by a 9-game road trip and battles with the pitching-rich A's, Twins and Angels. The next 4 weeks will tell us if NY is going to make a run to get back in the pennant race....The fastball of 44-year old Clemens was just 91 in his first start....The Oakland A's are all pitching and little offense, which explains a 40-19 under the total start!
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Flying High in Cleveland!
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Thursday June 07, 2007
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Cleveland hasn't won a major title since the 1964 Browns, but the city is flying high with the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals and the Indians in first place. One of the keys to Cleveland's early-season success this year is righty Fausto Carmona. In seven straight starts, the 23-year-old Carmona is a perfect 5-0 with a sterling 1.94 ERA, having allowed just 44 hits and 13 walks in his last 51 innings. Regarded as one of Cleveland's best prospects, Carmona also possesses one of the best sinkers in the game. He has one of the best ground-to-fly ratios in the American League.
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Will the Indians and Mariners Keep Surging?
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Wednesday May 30, 2007
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One of the keys to Cleveland's early-season success, righty sinkerballer Fausto Carmona is 6-1 with a 2.77 ERA. In his last seven starts, in fact, the 23-year-old Carmona is a perfect 6-0 with a sterling 1.94 ERA, having allowed just 44 hits and 13 walks in his last 51 innings. A fluke? Hardly. Regarded as one of Cleveland's best prospects, Carmona also possesses one of the best sinkers in the game. He is not a strikeout pither, but possesses the best ground-to-fly ratio in the American League and was among the major league leaders in that category.....The Mariners struggled when dominating young pitcher Felix Hernandez was out, but he is back. A young ace can do wonders for a staff. Seattle is not lacking for talent, with players like Ichiro Suzuki, Richie Sexson, Adrian Beltre, catcher Kenji Johjima, closer J.J. Putz. Note that Seattle started 8-3 against lefty pitchers.
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Baseball Notes
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Friday May 25, 2007
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The Reds have given up 38 runs in the eighth inning, one more than they've given up in the seventh and ninth innings combined! If you ever doubted the importance of set up men, the Reds' sinking bullpen will convince you....The Seattle Mariners are 8-3 against lefty pitchers.... The Rangers' pitching, fielding and hitting are all rank second to last in the AL. Equally awful is their road play, a 7-17 start away from home!...Along with recent bullpen changes, the Cubs inserted lefty Sean Marshall into the starting rotation. He became the third lefty in the rotation, joining Ted Lilly and Rich Hill. Oddly, the Cubs rank near the top of the National League in pitching, fielding and hitting, yet they have been losing. That's explained in part by a 2-10 record in one-run games and a bullpen that has blown seven saves and has a 3-11 record. If the Cubs can get Carlos Zambrano more consistent, they could improve.
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NBA Playoff Defense!
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Thursday May 17, 2007
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The Warriors/Mavericks series was expected to be uptempo because of Don Nelson's breakneck pace and style. Yet, there was a lot more defense than fans (and oddsmakers) might have anticipated as 4 of the 6 games went under the total. Game 2 jumped over the total by only one point, while Games 1, 3, 4 and 6 went under the total by 32, 11, 8 and 12 points....Utah just used its superior defense and inside play to put an end to the Warriors' Cinderella season. The Denver Nuggets had averaged 104 points per game during the regular season, and got 95 in Game 1 against San Antonio in an upset. However, the Spurs then turned on their defensive jets and held Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony to 88, 91, 89 and 78 points the last four games, all wins by San Antonio. Naturally, coaches know the value of defense this time of year and you often find the better defensive teams advancing and facing each other. When the Pistons won the title three years ago they were 14-8-1 .5?under.5? the total in the postseason. When the Spurs won the title in 2005, 6 of their first 8 playoff games sailed under the total. Last year, the Miami Heat went 10-2 under the total their final 12 playoff games.
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NBA Playoff Adjustments
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Thursday May 10, 2007
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Mismatches and coaching moves can do so much to change things. Look at Game 1 of the Spurs/Suns series, a 116-112 San Antonio road win that sailed over the total. Game 2 was very different: a 101-81 Suns victory that sailed under the total by 23 points! So what happened? Kurt Thomas was assigned to guard Tim Duncan one-on-one and 6-7 forward Shawn Marion guards Tony Parker. The Suns' most significant contributions came from Marion and Thomas, who were added to the starting lineup. The Suns didn't double-team Duncan, and unlike Game 1, Tim got little help from his teammates. Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni's decision to start Thomas and have him defend Duncan freed up Amare Stoudemire to concentrate on offense. As a result, Stoudemire had plenty of energy and scored 21 second half points. The Suns went to 8-0 with Thomas as a starter after that game. It's important for sports bettors to watch as many games as possible and carefully read up on the games the next day. Strategic adjustments can be revealing, and profitable at the betting window!
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Showdowns Out West!
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Thursday May 03, 2007
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As well as Golden State played at home during the regular season going 30-11, the Mavs actually had a better road record at 31-10....The Spurs leaned on their defense in Game 3 against Denver, limiting the Nuggets to 42.9 percent shooting and nine fast-break points. The Spurs allowed a league-low 90.1 points in the regular season, and through four playoff games, they're giving up just 91.3 against one of the NBA's best offensive teams. Since combining for 61 points in Game 1, the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson combined for 46 in Game 2 and 48 in Game 3. The Nuggets have a combined 19 fast-break points in the series and are hitting .421 from the floor. The UNDERs are 11-5 in the NBA Western Conference playoffs.
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NBA Playoff Notes
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Monday April 23, 2007
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Nobody wanted the playoffs to begin more than Detroit's Rasheed Wallace. It's all he talked about through a so-so regular season with career lows in points per game (12.3) and shooting percentage (.423). In Game 1 against Orlando, he had 10 points in the first quarter. In 12 minutes, he also had three rebounds and a steal. Wallace presents a terrible mismatch up front for Orlando.....Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire all the stars of the Suns, but the quickest lightening-bug on the team is guard Leandro Barbosa. What a talented, quick pest for opponents!....Game 1 between the Nuggets and Spurs went under the total by 25 points, making the teams 4-0 under this season in head-to-head meetings.
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NBA and Early Season Baseball Notes....
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Wednesday April 18, 2007
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The Spurs have the best record in the NBA since the All Star break...The Bulls are on an impressive 10-2 SU/ATS run, playing their best ball at the right time...In baseball, the Red Sox have gotten 9 of 10 quality starts from their starting pitchers after Curt Schilling got blasted opening day. They also lead the AL in ERA. That's why they are 7-3 under the total. The Oakland A's have the second best team ERA and they are 9-3 under the total.
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NBA Stretch Run: Who Cares and Who Doesn't?
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Saturday April 14, 2007
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Those defenseless Denver Nuggets appear to be putting it together, on a 13-5 SU/ATS run. Hard to believe but they are playing some defense for a change. They were allowing 103.6 points a game, but just 99.7 ppg in April. In a recent game, they held the Mavericks to 36 percent from the field and just 71 points. The Nuggets also limited the Clippers to 43 percent from the field. In five wins in seven days, Denver went 3-0 when it scored more than 100 points, 3-0 when its opponent scored more than 100 points and 2-0 when it scored fewer than 100 points....The Knicks have packed in the season on a 3-12 SU/ATS run...And so have the Celtics, losing 5 in a row, with Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson on the shelf for the rest of the year. Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, anyone!
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Miami Wants to Bring the Heat (and Wade)
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Tuesday April 10, 2007
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The big news in Miami is that Dwyane Wade will return to the Heat's lineup sometime this week, likely as 6th man. Miami is 16-7 since Wade sustained the injury. Wade's return will come at a crucial time for the Heat (42-34). It is a game behind Toronto for the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, with home-court advantage at stake. Both teams have six games left.....The Bulls are quietly looking at the No. 2 seed in the East. The biggest difference between the Bulls now and the inconsistent bunch from two months ago is the improvement of rookie Tyrus Thomas. Thomas has taken a major step up. He is playing better defense, is rebounding on both ends and has learned how to use his explosiveness to score. They've won 7 of 8.
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NBA Stretch Run Notes
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Friday April 06, 2007
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New Orleans is now 6-0 in overtime games this season, but they suffered a tough blow this week, losing starters Tyson Chandler, Desmond Mason and Chris Paul Wednesday....Speaking of injuries, Washington's Gilbert Arenas has a sprained left knee. It appears to be the second significant injury. Starting forward Caron Butler broke his hand on Sunday, so the Wizards are basically cooked....A win this week keeps the Toronto Raptors 1 1/2 games ahead of Miami for third place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.....Heating up out West: Although they still occupy the sixth spot, the Lakers hold only a half-game lead over the seventh-place Denver Nuggets and a 1 1/2-game advantage over the Clippers.
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NBA Stretch Run Notes...
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Wednesday April 04, 2007
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The Pistons are on an impressive 10-4 SU, 11-3 ATS run. Yet, there is one more wrinkle for the Pistons to iron out before the playoffs begin: figure out how to keep Chris Webber and Chauncey Billups happy in the offense. Billups said, "When Chris is out there, we go through him and let him make plays. When he's not, I'm attacking, I'm aggressive and I am making plays. I am struggling with that a lot -- when to do what."...Speaking of unhappy, how about the Spurs losing at Indiana? Coach Gregg Popovich was unhappy: "I thought it was a pathetic performance for a team that's trying to get prepared to go into the playoffs and get focused for that," Popovich said. "That was very disappointing. We played the last quarter competitively, but before that I thought we played embarrassing basketball. A lot of it had to do with the energy, the toughness and the defense of the Pacers. A very disappointing loss for us. A pathetic performance." Oddly, the Spurs' three losses in the past eight weeks have come against two Eastern Conference teams (Milwaukee and Boston) headed for the lottery and another (Indiana) that is likely going nowhere....Miami has gone 13-7 SU, 14-6 ATS since Dwyane Wade, the NBA's fourth-leading scorer at 28.8 points a game, sustained his injury. He's back practicing this week and feeling well.
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Florida/Ohio State....Again!
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Monday April 02, 2007
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Amazing that these two schools just played for college football's national championship three months ago....Ohio State is 3-3 SU, 4-2 ATS as a dog this season, winning the last game as a small dog over Georgetown. Like last year, the Gators are hot at the right time, on a 9-0 SU, 7-2 ATS run...Several NBA teams appear to have packed in the season: Atlanta is going nowhere and is on a 1-7 SU, 2-6 ATS run. Indiana is 2-17 SU/5-14 ATS the last 19 games while the Kings are on a 2-9 SU/ATS run....Ever since NY Knicks coach Isiah Thomas got a contract extension, the Knicks have been awful, on a 2-8 SU, 3-7 ATS run. A year ago late last season the Knicks went on a 6-29 SU/12-23 ATS run under Thomas!
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NBA Stretch Run
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Saturday March 31, 2007
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What has gotten into Seattle? Down by 25 in the third at Minnesota, they rally for a stunning win, then win at Denver as a +11 dog! Many teams pack it in down the stretch, but Seattle did the opposite this week....Keep an eye on the Golden State Warriors. For the second straight meeting, the Warriors were throttled by San Antonio, 126-89. For a team that had the upper hand in the race for the eighth playoff spot just a week ago, the Warriors are starting to streak the other way. They showed no emotional and physical spirit. "You don't want games like this," said Jason Richardson. "Forty-point losses are tough." See if they show some fight, or continue to pack it in.....Have you noticed that the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns are on a 10-4 run under the total.
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Motivated Clippers and Some NBA Defense!
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Saturday March 24, 2007
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Corey Maggette and Clipper coach Mike Dunleavy have had a running fued all year. Maggette is finally getting more playing time, averaging 37 minutes a game the last 8 contests. With the extra playing time, Maggette is determined to make things happen. The Clippers are 4-1 ATS the last 5 games and just won at Chicago as a +8 dog (Maggette had 22 points in 42 minutes)...LA is also ninth in the Western Conference, a game behind Golden State for the final playoff spot...The Pistons just held the Suns to 83 points (22 below their average). Detroit is 13-6 under the total the last 19 games!...Speaking of defense, the Spurs appear to be getting in shape defensively for the playoffs, on a 25-10-2 under the total run.
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NBA Second Half Notes
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Friday March 16, 2007
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The Celtics have been on a roll since Paul Pierce returned from a foot injury, going 6-3 SU, 7-2 ATS the last nine games.....Houston gets good news this weekend. Bonzi Wells (sore right foot) has missed 8 game but Wells said he is healthy and ready to play....It's no surprise Terry Stotts was fired this week as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. You'll hear the blame about injuries, but the fact is the Bucks haven't played a lick of defense under Stotts. Good defense starts with the coach teaching players and getting on them. The Bucks were expected to be much improved with Mike Redd's return, but may have hit their lowest point Monday after losing by 15 at home to the Raptors. The timing of Stotts' firing also might coincide with the status of Bucks assistant Larry Krystkowiak, whose name has been linked to the open coaching job at the University of Utah....New Orleans guard Chris Paul has a stress fracture in his left foot, but he is not expected to miss any playing time, team officials said. That's quite a gamble they're taking with a young star player. In 1987, Celtics star Kevin McHale was allowed to go through the playoff despite fracturing a foot in the semi-final round against Milwaukee. McHale limped through the NBA Finals, but was never the same defensive player as he lost some quickness. It's better to late players heal 100%.
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NBA ATS Notes
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Friday March 09, 2007
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LeBron James has scored 32 or more points in four consecutive games while the Cavaliers have gone 3-1 SU, 4-0 ATS. He's averaging 27-1 -- seventh in the NBA....Denver's Carmelo Anthony leads the NBA in scoring (30.4) and partner Allen Iverson isn't far behind (fifth, 28.0). Yet, they are 3-5 SU/ATS the last 8 games...Emerging star? Boston's young forward Al Jefferson is piling up big numbers (23.5 points, 14.5 rebounds) as the Celtics are on a 4-1 Su/ATS run...Milwaukee's Mike Redd is averaging 26.5 ppg in the eight games since he returned from his knee injury, and the Bucks are 9-5 over the total the last 14.
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NBA Second Half Surges
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Tuesday March 06, 2007
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If you're holding a future's ticket on the defending champion Miami Heat, don't throw it away just yet. Miami guard Dwyane Wade said he has decided to delay surgery and rehabilitate his dislocated left shoulder with the goal of returning for the playoffs. Note that Miami is 3-2 SU, 4-1 ATS without Wade...There is excitement in Houston as center Yao Ming was cleared to play this week. He hasn't played since Dec. 23. The Rockets went 20-13 without him, but they have been slipping lately...Another team in the West looking to make a move is the Clippers. The Clippers just set a mark on defense, allowing 64 points to Indiana! LA is 4-1 SU/ATS the last 5 games, and appeared more focused on defense than they have since last season. LA is also 10-2 under the total the last 12 games!
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Basketball Notes and ATS Observations
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Friday March 02, 2007
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In the NBA, Orlando is heading through the Texas Triangle this weekend, while Golden State is on an East Coast swing....San Antonio is 20-8 under the total their last 28 games, or since coach Popovich chewed them out for giving up 114 to Washington...Big 10 road woes: If it doesn't say Ohio State or Wisconsin across the front of your jersey, the road is not a welcome place. The Buckeyes and Badgers are a combined 11-3 in conference road games. The conference's other nine schools are 10-50. "I don't remember ever being in a conference where the home-court advantage was so huge," Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson said. The percentage of road victories has dropped each of the past four seasons, from 38.6 in 2004 to 35.2 in 2005 to 29.5 last year and now 28 percent.....The Detroit Pistons are playing some strong defense, at 11-4 under the total the last 15 games...The Cavaliers are hard to figure: They swept the season series against San Antonio and beat the Lakers twice in five days earlier this month, but also lost 13 times to 11 teams with sub-.500 records. That's why they are 15-22 ATS as a favorite -- you never know which team will show up!
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ATS Notes to Chew On
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Friday February 23, 2007
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Hats off to San Antonio's Manu Ginobelli. He scored 40 against Atlanta this week, including 24 straight for San Antonio in the first half!...Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns are a remarkable 20-6 SU, 16-10 ATS on the road! Which makes Phoenix 44-31 ATS on the road the last two years...Think Chris Webber is helping the Pistons? They now are 23-5 in back-to-back games, 11-3 on the back-ends....Memphis is 3-24 SU, 11-16 ATS on the road...More bad breaks in Miami: Miami got its second half surge off on the wrong foot with a loss at Houston, losing star Dwyane Wade with a dislocated left shoulder. He's probably out 5 weeks, back just in time for the playoffs -- if they make it.
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The Curse of No. 1
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Thursday February 22, 2007
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It took a long time for Wisconsin to become No. 1 in the college basketball polls, and the blink of an eye to lose it. The Badgers moved to No. 1 this week, then lost 64-55 at Michigan State. It's ridiculous in college football and basketball for coaches to be lobbying for that No. 1 ranking during the season, because it only brings more focus on the kids. It's more important to be No. 1 AFTER the season!...In the NBA, Mike Redd contributed 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting, and he added four rebounds and two steals as the Bucks lost 84-83 to the Pistons. Milwaukee had been 3-17 without Redd, but at least they are competitive and 1-0 ATS with him back. It's essential to keep up on players returning from injuries. The Celtics are now 2-0 ATS since Paul Pierce returned, opening the second half of the season with a close loss at Sacramento.
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NBA Second Half Notes
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Tuesday February 20, 2007
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It ain't easy being Green: It's a good the Celtics ended their 18-game losing streak just before the break. Boston begins a 5-game West Coast trip this week....Miami starts the second half through part of the Texas Triangle, playing at Houston and at Dallas this week....Chicago is a team of extremes, at 20-7 at home, but a miserable 9-17 SU, 7-18 ATS on the road!...Things aren't happy in Milwaukee. After the Bucks were eliminated by Detroit in the first round of the playoffs last season, Andruw Bogut expressed his dissatisfaction with his play and the way he was being used in the offense. Bogut and Charlie Villanueva don't play any interior defense, and it didn't look good last week when they lost 117-97 to a Boston team on an 18-game losing streak! The Bucks are 3-17 SU, 7-12-1 ATS the last 20 games.
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NBA All Star Break Notes
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Saturday February 17, 2007
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The second half of the NBA season starts next week, and it's all about playoff seedings, division titles and teams out of it packing it in. In the East, at this point Orlando and Miami are in the No. 7 and 8 spots, with New Jersey (25-29) on the bubble. In the West, red-hot New Orleans, Golden State, and the Clippers are hot on the heels of 8th-seeded Minnesota. You may soon see those teams out of it giving up, especially on the road....Boston's Paul Pierce is back after missing 24 games with a foot injury, during which the Celtics lost 18 in a row. During that losing streak, the Celtics offense struggled going 12-6 under the total. But that may change: Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak are on the floor together this week for the first time in two months. And they are 2-0 over the total the last two games, whipping Milwaukee to end that losing skid.
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Basketball Notes
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Monday February 12, 2007
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Think Steve Nash is a difference-maker? The Suns were 6 and 10 point favorites the last two games, and lost both straight up. Nash (shoulder) has missed the Suns' past three games and won't play this week, or in the weekend's All-Star festivities....LA's Chris Kaman continues to struggle. In six games on this road trip, Kaman has made only 34.6% of his field-goal attempts while averaging 8.5 points and 7.8 rebounds. Kaman has failed to anchor things inside while Elton Brand rests. LA is 8-18 SU, 7-17-2 ATS on the road...Good news for the struggling Celtics! Boston is on an 18-game losing streak, and the last three teams with 15-game losing streaks wound up with the No. 1 pick in the draft.
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NBA Notes
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Friday February 09, 2007
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Since coach Gregg Popovich chewed the team out for giving up 114 points to Washington, the Spurs are 16-4 under the total playing better defense!...It's no fun being a Golden State Warriors fan lately -- or their point guard! The problem is they don't have any point guards, with Jason Richardson, Baron Davis and Monta Ellis out. Sarunas Jasikevicius gets the nod at PG, and they are down to just three healthy backcourt players -- Jasikevicius, Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike!....Golden State is 17-8 at home, but 6-18 on the road....Trouble in LA: It won't be long before Clipper Corey Maggette is gone. Maggette criticized Coach Mike Dunleavy for leaving him on the bench for most of the second half while the Knicks overcame a 10-point halftime deficit this week. "It's just more of Dunleavy's crap again," Maggette said. "I don't get it, I really don't. It's crazy. I put in work. I deserve to play." He has wanted out most of the season and it's not getting better, nor is their road record (7-16 SU, 7-15-1 ATS away).
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NBA Tips
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Thursday February 08, 2007
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It's no fun being a Golden State Warriors fan lately -- or their point guard! The problem is they don't have any point guards, with Jason Richardson, Baron Davis and Monta Ellis out. Sarunas Jasikevicius gets the nod at PG, and they are down to just three healthy backcourt players -- Jasikevicius, Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike!....Golden State is 17-8 at home, but 6-18 on the road....Trouble in LA: It won't be long before Clipper Corey Maggette is gone. Maggette criticized Coach Mike Dunleavy for leaving him on the bench for most of the second half while the Knicks overcame a 10-point halftime deficit this week. "It's just more of Dunleavy's crap again," Maggette said. "I don't get it, I really don't. It's crazy. I put in work. I deserve to play." He has wanted out most of the season and it's not getting better, nor is their road record (7-16 SU, 7-15-1 ATS away).
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NBA Notes
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Wednesday February 07, 2007
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It's no fun being a Golden State Warriors fan lately -- or their point guard! The problem is they don't have any point guards, with Jason Richardson, Baron Davis and Monta Ellis out. Sarunas Jasikevicius gets the nod at PG, and they are down to just three healthy backcourt players -- Jasikevicius, Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike!....Golden State is 17-8 at home, but 6-18 on the road....Trouble in LA: It won't be long before Clipper Corey Maggette is gone. Maggette criticized Coach Mike Dunleavy for leaving him on the bench for most of the second half while the Knicks overcame a 10-point halftime deficit this week. He has wanted out most of the season and it's not getting better, nor is their road record (7-16 SU, 7-15-1 ATS away).
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Super Bowl Notes
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Friday February 02, 2007
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Both cities have waited decades to return to the Super Bowl, so one city is going to be celebrating long into the night Sunday! The weather in Miami, Florida, appears to be 77 with a 30% chance of rain/thunderstorms. It's important to keep close tabs on what the weather will be all week long, especially potential wind conditions....Chicago is 7-1 SU, 5-3 ATS away from home and 13-4-1 OVER the total. Indy is 1-4 SU/ATS its last 5 road games...Bears QB Rex Grossman has passed for 426 yards with 2 TDs, one pick in the postseason. Indy QB Peyton Manning has 2 TDs and 6 INTs in the playoffs -- go figure!
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Super Bowl Notes
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Wednesday January 31, 2007
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The weather in Miami, Florida, appears to be 77 with a 30% chance of rain/thunderstorms. It's important to keep close tabs on what the weather will be all week long, especially potential wind conditions....Indy is 1-4 SU/ATS its last 5 road games...Bears QB Rex Grossman has passed for 426 yards with 2 TDs, one pick in the postseason. Indy QB Peyton Manning has 2 TDs and 6 INTs in the playoffs -- go figure!
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NBA and Super Bowl Notes
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Tuesday January 30, 2007
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They only thing to like about the Miami Heat is that they are 16-9 ATS as a dog. The defending champs have had all kinds of injury troubles. Though Shaquille O'Neal is healthy enough to play, he is not yet able to play starter's minutes, and couldn't play Saturday because it was the second game of a back-to-back set. Jason Williams is limping, Gary Payton has missed seven straight (respiratory infection), while Alonzo Mourning is playing through an illness. It's been a bad year for defending champs, with the Steelers getting blitzed by injuries in an 8-8 campaign....The favored Colts are 5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS away from home and 1-3 SU/ATS their last four games on natural grass. Perhaps the biggest concern is the weather, as the long range forecast has scattered showers in Miami for Super Bowl Sunday. There has never been a Super Bowl played in the rain. The NFL has been lucky with great weather, but this might be the year that changes. How much rain or wind, of course, will determine whether it will affect play on the field, the side and total.
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NBA and Super Bowl Notes
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Monday January 29, 2007
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They only thing to like about the Miami Heat is that they are 16-9 ATS as a dog. The defending champs have had all kinds of injury troubles. Though Shaquille O'Neal is healthy enough to play, he is not yet able to play starter's minutes, and couldn't play Saturday because it was the second game of a back-to-back set. Jason Williams is limping, Gary Payton has missed seven straight (respiratory infection), while Alonzo Mourning is playing through an illness. It's been a bad year for defending champs, with the Steelers getting blitzed by injuries in an 8-8 campaign....The favored Colts are 5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS away from home and 1-3 SU/ATS their last four games on natural grass. Perhaps the biggest concern is the weather, as the long range forecast has scattered showers in Miami for Super Bowl Sunday. There has never been a Super Bowl played in the rain. The NFL has been lucky with great weather, but this might be the year that changes. How much rain or wind, of course, will determine whether it will affect play on the field, the side and total.
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NBA Road Trips!
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Friday January 26, 2007
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A couple of NBA teams are either on or gearing up for "Road Trips from Hell." From January 17 through February 11, the Lakers play 11 of 14 games on the road. Starting this weekend, the Spurs play 8 straight on the road, starting the trip with games at the Lakers, Jazz, Suns. They play 11 of 14 on the road during that stretch, as well...That road trip will test San Antonio's sizzling 15-6 SU, 14-7 ATS road mark.... Since coach Gregg Popovich chewed the team out for giving up 114 points to Washington, the Spurs are 11-3 under the total playing better defense.
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NFC and AFC Championship Game Notes
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Tuesday January 23, 2007
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It's important to examine how teams are playing of late, as well as for the entire season. A case in point is the NFC Championship game between the Saints and Bears. I had a big play on the total over 42. Why? The past 5 games, the Bears games were averaging 54 total points and Saints games were averaging 45. Chicago's defense was weak late in the year because of injuries, while the Saints offense is No. 1 in the NFL. It wasn't a surprise to see the teams combine for 53 points in Chicago's 39-14 win....Home field and travel time appeared to play a role in the AFC title game. The Colts had played at Baltimore the week before, had one extra day to prepare, and were coming home to play New England. The Patriots flew to the West Coast to play No. 1 seeded San Diego, a physical game with a thrilling ending. Then they flew to Indianapolis for Sunday's game and appeared to run out of gas in the second half.
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NFC and AFC Championship Game Notes
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Monday January 22, 2007
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It's important to examine how teams are playing of late, as well as for the entire season. A case in point is the NFC Championship game between the Saints and Bears. I had a big play on the total over 42. Why? The past 5 games, the Bears games were averaging 54 total points and Saints games were averaging 45. Chicago's defense was weak late in the year because of injuries, while the Saints offense is No. 1 in the NFL. It wasn't a surprise to see the teams combine for 53 points in Chicago's 39-14 win....Home field and travel time appeared to play a role in the AFC title game. The Colts had played at Baltimore the week before, had one extra day to prepare, and were coming home to play New England. The Patriots flew to the West Coast to play No. 1 seeded San Diego, a physical game with a thrilling ending. Then they flew to Indianapolis for Sunday's game and appeared to run out of gas in the second half.
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NBA Rest Trend
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Sunday January 21, 2007
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A lot of weight is sometimes given to how rested a NBA team is heading into their next game. Lets take a look at just how these numbers are doing this season and the few past years. First we have the straight back-to-back situation. The team played last night and has to turn around and play again tonight. The table below shows how the NBA has done in this situation dating back to the 2004 season against the spread. This is a pretty basic scenario that many handicappers play. Sounds logical, a team is coming off a game last night, likely had to travel, check into their hotel, get some rest, practice, etc. You would expect this team to be at a slight disadvantage.
Back to Back
2006 140-146 (49%)
since 2005 407-444 (47%)
since 2004 698-747 (48%)
This season, there have been 286 back-to-back spots so far and the results are 140-146, or just under 50% against the spread. Not really much of an advantage either way really. Even going back as far as 2004, the numbers only drop slightly to 48%.
How about back-to-back road games. You would expect this scenario to be more stressful for a team since they remain on the road, maybe are delayed in their travels, don't get to return home to their own beds, etc. Again, lets take a look at the numbers.
Back-to-Back Road Games
2006 52-47 (52%)
since 2005 148-155 (48%)
since 2004 252-265 (48%)
This season these teams are actually playing slightly better compared to just back-to-back at just over 52% ATS. The numbers though fall back into line with our previous results as we go back to 2005 and 2004, again around 48%.
Now lets take a look at not only a team playing in the second game of a back-to-back situation, but also it's their third game in four nights. As the numbers below show, not only do we show this team covering more spreads at 54%, but even the numbers since 2004 go up a few percentage points to 50%.
Back-to-Back (3 games in 4 nights)
2006 102-87 (54%)
since 2005 289-285 (50%)
since 2004 483-482 (50%)
Do the above figures tell us to throw these trends away? No, it only proves what we already know about most statistics when it comes to betting against the spread, that as you go further into the future the numbers tend toward 50%. However, what does separate the average handicapper from the professional is knowing HOW to use a trend. We need to take these trends a bit further and examine them to specific teams. Not all NBA teams are the same, so it would only figure that a trend would not fit all teams. Some teams are older and need more rest, some have deeper benches, some rely on their starters more, some have nagging injuries, etc, etc. Even coaching could play a role in how a team does with a specific trend.
Lets take a look at the Cleveland Cavaliers. If we apply our examples above to this club we find something very interesting. First, in back-to-back games Cleveland is 1-10 this season ATS, that's 9%, and they are averaging 87 ppg and hitting 40% FG!!! If we look at how they do in back-to-back road games, they are 0-3 ATS (75 ppg, 33% FG). And when they play back-to-back and it's their third game in four nights, 1-6 ATS (89 ppg, 41% FG). Each scenario their spread number is terrible and we see why when we look at their points per game and field goal percentages. On the season, the Cavs average 95 points per game and hit 43% of their field goals. But in our rest scenarios these figures drop quite significantly. Obviously in regards to the Cavaliers the rest trend makes a difference. Whether it's because the starters account for the majority of their points or that Lebron James, who plays nearly 41 minutes per game and accounts for 29% of the Cavs points, tires out in his second game. Whatever the reasoning, if you dig a bit deeper into your trends and use them as part of your overall handicapping, you'll find that you will increase your winning percentages.
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NFL Championship Games
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Friday January 19, 2007
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The Saints completed a remarkable turnaround, from 3-13 to 11-6 SU/ATS and one spot from the Super Bowl behind Coach of the Year Sean Payton. I think it's a great example of why owners are better off hiring coaches with NFL experience, like Payton (with the Cowboys last season) than taking a chance on college coaches with no pro experience. New Orleans is 6-2 SU, 7-1 ATS on the road and 6-3 SU/7-2 ATS as a dog!...The Colts are 9-0 SU, 6-3 ATS at home, but the Patriots are 8-1 SU/ATS on the road. Something's gotta give!...New England QB Tom Brady is 23-1 SU, 20-3-1 ATS on artificial turf.
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AFC Championship Showdown!
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Tuesday January 16, 2007
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The horror movie that is Marty Shottenheimer's playoff career continued on Sunday as once again he turned a great regular season into a postseason flameout in a 24-21 loss to the Patriots. Marty is just one of five coaches in NFL history with 200 or more regular season wins, but he is 5-13 in the playoffs come. It was fitting that a coach that has yet to ever reach the Super Bowl would lose to a coach who is now 12-1 SU/8-4-1 ATS in the playoffs in Bill Belichick. Bad luck or bad coaching? In his 13 playoff losses, nine were by 5 points or less. Conservative "Marty Ball" was out the window as the 2006 Chargers became a dynamic, multiple set offense first in scoring and fourth in total offense....After a series of sloppy November games, the Patriots cut WR Doug Gabriel, the offensive line shaved all its beards refusing to talk to the media, and QB Tom Brady called out his teammates, saying that if they listened to the coaching staff more they'd play better. They haven't lost since, on a 5-0 SU/ATS run (winning 3 times as a dog). Tom Brady had his worst game on November 5th against the Colts, with no TDs and 4 picks in a 27-20 Colts win at New England. The Colts are 9-0 SU, 6-3 ATS at home.
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AFC Championship Showdown!
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Monday January 15, 2007
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The horror movie that is Marty Shottenheimer's playoff career continued on Sunday as once again he turned a great regular season into a postseason flameout in a 24-21 loss to the Patriots. Marty is just one of five coaches in NFL history with 200 or more regular season wins, but he is 5-13 in the playoffs come. It was fitting that a coach that has yet to ever reach the Super Bowl would lose to a coach who is now 12-1 SU/8-4-1 ATS in the playoffs in Bill Belichick. Bad luck or bad coaching? In his 13 playoff losses, nine were by 5 points or less. Conservative "Marty Ball" was out the window as the 2006 Chargers became a dynamic, multiple set offense first in scoring and fourth in total offense....After a series of sloppy November games, the Patriots cut WR Doug Gabriel, the offensive line shaved all its beards refusing to talk to the media, and QB Tom Brady called out his teammates, saying that if they listened to the coaching staff more they'd play better. They haven't lost since, on a 5-0 SU/ATS run (winning 3 times as a dog). Tom Brady had his worst game on November 5th against the Colts, with no TDs and 4 picks in a 27-20 Colts win at New England. The Colts are 9-0 SU, 6-3 ATS at home.
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Eagles/Saints Playoff Battle!
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Friday January 12, 2007
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The Eagles and Saints hook up in New Orleans in a game featuring the top two offenses in the NFL. It's also a rematch. Philly lost 27-24 at New Orleans on a final-play field goal back on Oct. 15. That game went over the total with the Saints a 3-point favorite. The Eagles are on a 6-0 SU, 3-2-1 ATS run, and 5-3 SU, 4-3-1 ATS on the road behind QB Jeff Garcia. One concern is that the Eagles lost two-time Pro Bowl CB Lito Sheppard to a dislocated right elbow Sunday, and he is likely out for the postseason. When Sheppard was inactive for three games early in the season, the Eagles allowed an average of 269 passing yards! ...In the NBA, since Spurs coach Gregg Popovich chewed the team out for giving up 114 points to Washington, the Spurs are 7-1 under the total playing better defense!
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Eagles/Saints Playoff Battle!
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Thursday January 11, 2007
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The Eagles and Saints hook up in New Orleans in a game featuring the top two offenses in the NFL. It's also a rematch. Philly lost 27-24 at New Orleans on a final-play field goal back on Oct. 15. That game went over the total with the Saints a 3-point favorite. The Eagles are on a 6-0 SU, 3-2-1 ATS run, and 5-3 SU, 4-3-1 ATS on the road behind QB Jeff Garcia. One concern is that the Eagles lost two-time Pro Bowl CB Lito Sheppard to a dislocated right elbow Sunday, and he is likely out for the postseason. When Sheppard was inactive for three games early in the season, the Eagles allowed an average of 269 passing yards!
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NBA Notes and NFL Playoffs Round 2!
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Tuesday January 09, 2007
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The Colts caught a break this past week when Herm Edwards limped into Indianapolis without a creative game plan. Herm had said, "You play to win the game." Well he should have followed his own advice and thought about having a game plan that would cause the weak Colt Def to have to prepare for some diversity. Running on first and second down each and every time for three quarters was a recipe for defeat and that is what the Colts delivered. I am not saying the Chiefs could be a better team over all than the Colts, but they could have been better coached by a wider margin than they were. Bottom line, Edwards never gave his team a chance to win...When the Colts visit the Ravens Saturday, it will be the first time that the Colts will play a postseason game in Baltimore since they ran out of town as the Baltimore Colts back on March 29, 1984. The Colts are 4-4 SU, 3-5 ATS on the road, though 2-0 SU/ATS as a dog this season. The Ravens are 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS at home and 19-5 SU, 16-8 ATS their last 24 home games....In the NBA, since Spurs coach Gregg Popovich chewed the team out for giving up 114 points to Washington, the Spurs are 5-1 under the total playing better defense....Watch Minnesota this week: The Timberwolves have won four straight, but the last three have been in overtime! Will that tire them out? It hasn't yet, riding a 7-2 SU/6-3 ATS run, but it's worth keeping an eye on. -- JF.
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NBA Notes and NFL Playoffs Round 2!
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Monday January 08, 2007
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The Colts caught a break this past week when Herm Edwards limped into Indianapolis without a creative game plan. Herm had said, "You play to win the game." Well he should have followed his own advice and thought about having a game plan that would cause the weak Colt Def to have to prepare for some diversity. Running on first and second down each and every time for three quarters was a recipe for defeat and that is what the Colts delivered. I am not saying the Chiefs could be a better team over all than the Colts, but they could have been better coached by a wider margin than they were. Bottom line, Edwards never gave his team a chance to win...When the Colts visit the Ravens Saturday, it will be the first time that the Colts will play a postseason game in Baltimore since they ran out of town as the Baltimore Colts back on March 29, 1984. The Colts are 4-4 SU, 3-5 ATS on the road, though 2-0 SU/ATS as a dog this season. The Ravens are 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS at home and 19-5 SU, 16-8 ATS their last 24 home games....In the NBA, since Spurs coach Gregg Popovich chewed the team out for giving up 114 points to Washington, the Spurs are 5-1 under the total playing better defense....Watch Minnesota this week: The Timberwolves have won four straight, but the last three have been in overtime! Will that tire them out? It hasn't yet, riding a 7-2 SU/6-3 ATS run, but it's worth keeping an eye on.
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NFL Playoffs on Saturday
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Thursday January 04, 2007
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The Cowboys and Seahawks stumbled down the stretch, as Dallas is on a 1-3 SU/ATS run, and Seattle is on a 1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS run. QB Tony Romo had a strong overall season, but the last 5 games he has 6 TDs, 8 INTs. The Dallas defense has allowed 33 points per game the last four games! While Dallas is trying to figure out its identity, the Seahawks have problems, too, losing 3 of their last 4. The defense has given up 20 points or more in 7 of the last 8 games, and the secondary is banged up badly. Seattle is 9-4-1 OVER the total the last 15 games. Check those weather conditions for games this weekend, as well, especially the games in Seattle, New England and Philly!
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Giants at Redskins Saturday
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Thursday December 28, 2006
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All NFC eyes are on this game. If the Giants win, they pretty much sew up the sixth and final NFC seed. If they lose, that opens the door for 4 other teams. The bad news for the Giants is that they appear to be an unhappy team, on a terrible collapse riding a 1-6 SU, 1-5-1 ATS run. They are off a disgraceful 30-7 loss at home to the Saints, getting 142 total yards while allowing 359. The Giants did not have a snap in Saints' territory all game! Tom Coughlin said, "It's embarrassing." The Giants defense has given up 23 or more points in 6 of the last 7 games. The Redskins (5-10 SU, 5-9-1 ATS) are on a 3-8 SU/3-7-1 ATS run and in the role of spoiler. Young QB Jason Campbell makes his 7th NFL start here since replacing QB Mark Brunell. Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs broke his shoulder blade in the first quarter Sunday, a 37-31 loss at St. Louis.
The Rams battered the Redskins defense for 579 total yards, so there are no excuses for the Giants offense. The Redskins will need a win to keep Coach Joe Gibbs from his worst season ever; he went 6-10 in 2004.
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Iverson to Denver!
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Thursday December 21, 2006
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The BIG TRADE finally happened, with the 76ers sending Allen Iverson and rookie forward Ivan McFarlin to the Denver Nuggets for Joe Smith and his expiring contract, veteran point guard Andre Miller and two first-round draft choices in 2007 (Dallas and Denver). Those draft picks won't be that high, but indications are that the NBA draft is expected to be deep. The Sixers will rebuild with three first round picks, while Denver now has the top two NBA scoring leaders, which is remarkable. Iverson is expected to make his Denver debut Friday against Sacramento. Joe Smith averaged just 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11 games with the Nuggets this season. Denver appears to have done well, and it all hinges on the 76er draft picks which won't be known for a few years. Philly is just 3-6 SU/ATS at home. The trade also makes the already strong West better and the East thinner. Denver is already 6-3 ATS as a dog without Iverson. You might say the 76ers are going in the tank to have a shot at Ohio State 7-footer Greg Odom.
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Iverson to Denver!
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Wednesday December 20, 2006
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The BIG TRADE finally happened, with the 76ers sending Allen Iverson and rookie forward Ivan McFarlin to the Denver Nuggets for Joe Smith and his expiring contract, veteran point guard Andre Miller and two first-round draft choices in 2007 (Dallas and Denver). Those draft picks won't be that high, but indications are that the NBA draft is expected to be deep. The Sixers will rebuild with three first round picks, while Denver now has the top two NBA scoring leaders, which is remarkable. Iverson is expected to make his Denver debut Friday against Sacramento. Joe Smith averaged just 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11 games with the Nuggets this season. Denver appears to have done well, and it all hinges on the 76er draft picks which won't be known for a few years. Philly is just 3-6 SU/ATS at home. The trade also makes the already strong West better and the East thinner. Denver is already 6-3 ATS as a dog without Iverson. You might say the 76ers are going in the tank to have a shot at Ohio State 7-footer Greg Odom.
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NBA Mayhem!
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Tuesday December 19, 2006
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The big story in the NBA is the Knicks/Nuggets suspensions. Let's not overlook the fact that Knicks coach Isiah Thomas (who is only a coach because he ran Larry Brown out of town and the owner didn't want to spend more $$ on a new coach) drew the ire of Denver coach George Karl. Thomas had warned Carmelo Anthony not to go into the lane before the mayhem started. Isiah is coaching as well as he is general managing! The Knicks are the 6th worst defensive team allowing 100 ppg, and a poor 4-10 SU, 4-9-1 ATS at home.....Keep a close eye on Golden State (7-game road trip), Utah (5-game road trip) and Washington (4-game trip) this week, all in the middle of long road trips....The Clippers still are struggling, and just 1-8 SU/ATS on the road!
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Mid-week NBA Notes:
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Wednesday December 13, 2006
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A Lack of Wisdom in Miami? The poor Miami Heat have been without Shaq since Nov. 19, and this week they are without Dwyane Wade, who just had two bothersome left wisdom teeth extracted Tuesday! Miami must find a way to compensate for the 42 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.4 assists Wade and O'Neal have been averaging this season. By the way, Miami is 4-5 SU, 3-6 ATS as a favorite!...Can Allen Iverson go back to Philly? Only in a visiting uniform. Reports are that his locker has been emptied and his image has been excised from the 76ers' pregame highlight video. They are 0-5 without Iverson. At 5-15, they have dropped their last eight games. They have dropped 15 of 17 since a 3-0 start and have scored fewer than 100 points in 12 of their last 14....The Lakers just lost Lamar Odom (ankle) for a month. He had started all 20 games for the Lakers and is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game. The Lakers are an impressive 6-2 SU/ATS as a dog!
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NBA Notes!
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Monday December 11, 2006
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Iverson trade talk: AI is unhappy again (surprise), and everyone wants him. A problem for the 76ers is that they've admitted they want to deal him by sitting him last week. That means teams can offer 50 cents on the dollar for him. Minnesota makes sense as a destination. They could use guard help for star Kevin Garnett and Philly wants to trade him outside the conference, which is one reason Iverson hasn't gone to Boston, who has made moves for him. Speaking of Minnesota, it would be a decent fit for another reason. The T-Wolves are playing very strong defense this season, allowing .435% shooting by opponents, second best in the league. Minnesota is 9-1 under the total on the road! ...In Boston, executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said this week that coach Doc Rivers would finish the season in his current position. I can only ask "Why?" When Rivers was coaching Orlando, they were one of the worst defensive teams in the league. His Celtics' teams haven't played any defense, either, and currently are 10th worst in the league in opponents FG shooting. The Celtics are also on a 5-2 run over the total, not to mention a 2-7 SU/ATS run. It's the responsibility of an NBA coach to teach defense, and many coaches don't know how to do it.
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NFL Notes heading into week 14
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Saturday December 09, 2006
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Week 13 continues to show us that most of the power in the NFL this year is in the AFC. However, can the Colts win the Super Bowl this Year? Or will they do what they did last season and flounder in the playoffs?
My feeling is the Colts will once again have trouble come playoff time. Their loss to the Titans not withstanding, this team's achilles heal is once again their defense. They are getting consistently burned by the rush, as they have allowed almost 160 yards per game on the ground. The defense is putting too much pressure on their offense and Manning in particular. This bad defense is keeping Manning on the bench and not even the best QB can do much from there. This team better solve their defensive woes or they will never win a Super Bowl.
***UPDATE : Jags rush for 374 yards against Colts en route to 44-17 win in week 14. Colts rush defense getting worse by the week and wearing down fast!!!!
What's going on in Denver? Is Mike Shanahan on a "Mile High" after he benches Jake Plummer in favor of rookie Jay Cutler. Buzz on Cutler was his fantastic practices and we all know he was impressive in the pre-draft camps and in preseason with the Broncos. But the bottom line is that the Broncos are still in playoff contention and Shanahan benched a QB that was winning 3 out of every 4 games. Granted, hindsight is 20-20 and Cutler didn't perform in his NFL debut. He made a horrible rookie decision when he should have taken a sack and instead tossed the ball up for grabs which turned into a interception and easy Seattle touchdown. But rookies make those kinds of mistakes. Shanahan didn't take the reigns off Cutler and he showed that with a conservative call on 3rd and eight in the 4th quarter with a running play that wasn't designed for much more than a couple of yards. Shanahan needs to unleash this kid and lets see if he's as good as advertised or if this was just a horrible move thowing him to the wolves before he had a chance to mature.
David Copperfield doesn't have anything on the Chicago Bears. This team continues to win with smoke and mirrors, otherwise known as defense and special teams. Remember "Where's the Beef?" How about "Where's the offense?" If the Colts had the Bears defense, they might arguably be the best team in the history of the NFL. Instead, they have Rex Grossman, who made Jay Cutlers performance last Monday look like Johnny Unitas. Grossman ended the game with a QB rating of something like 1.3. No, the decimal point is in the correct place, 1.3!!! You don't have to know much about the complicated QB ratings formula to know that's just bad!!! Last week Grossman completed nine passes in 16 attempts. Not bad really, until you realize that three of those completions where to the wrong team. How about 34 total yards passing. But, the Bears defense and special teams once again bailed out the offense and not only won the game, but covered the 9 point spread. Shades of week 6 when Grossman had 148 yards passing and four interceptions against the Cardinals before the special teams and defense pulled his bacon from the fire. Lovey Smith continues to support his young QB and insists he's going to stay the starter. He says the team is 10-2 and that's with Rex. Jake Plummer wants Lovey to tell that to Mike Shanahan. The heat is on the Bears to win this year in what's obviously a weak NFC division. How much "lovey" will Smith throw Rex's way if he brings his dog and pony show into the playoffs.
And one of the surprise teams this year has to be the NY Jets. The Jets lopsided win at Green Bay last week coupled with the Chiefs and Broncos losing has them atop the Wild Card race at the moment. A team with no real superstars on offense continues to impress and win games. And, they are doing it with Chad Pennington at QB. Pennington might be one of the smartest QB's on the field this year, virtually a coach in the huddle. However, his one big flaw is his inability throwing the long ball. But, he's smart and he's finding ways to win with what he has to work with. Congrats to head coach Eric Mangini with an excellent season thus far.
***UPDATE : Bills bounce Jets from top of Wildcard heap. Bengals and Jaguars now take over the Wildcard slots as Jets give up big plays to Bills in lopsided loss.
The last few weeks of the regular season should be exciting and I'm sure there will be lots more controversy to come.
Be sure to check out my winning selections on Picksonline.com this Sunday and every weekend in pro football. I have my bowl package available right now on PicksOnline.com for just $99 you will receive all my Executive bowl selections for the entire post season including my Bowl Game of the Year. This and all my daily selection available right now on PicksOnline.com.
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My Thoughts on NBA test
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Wednesday November 08, 2006
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test The NBA moves to ESPN on Wednesday and World Champion handicapper Jim Feist has both ends of this doubleheader for you - absolutely FREE!!! Call Jim on Wednesday at 1-800-204-5463 and you will play the winner of the Suns vs Spurs and Pistons vs Kings, On-the-House!!!
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Look Out !!! Raiders Are Coming !!!
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Wednesday November 08, 2006
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Pistons/Kings over: The Pistons have their offense back on track. In a loss at Utah it was one of their best offensive performances of the season. Rasheed Wallace was particularly impressive, a force at both ends of the court. They are not the dynamite defensive team they used to be, as Flip Saunders likes to run the court and Ben Wallace left in the offseason as a free agent.
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Jim Feist Personal Blog
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 Jim Feist is the recognized leader in the sports information and sports gaming industry. For more than 20 years his acclaim has become unparalleled. He is the publisher of numerous books and publications including the Jim Feist Pro and College Football Annuals. His football, basketball and baseball schedules are the true source of the Official Nevada Rotation and are considered the standard by professionals everywhere.
His other endeavors include a 24-hour scorephone service and a website providing sports information worldwide. Feist is the principal panelist on PROLINE, America's premier handicapping television show on the USA Cable Network. Year in, year out, Jim sets the standard for all other handicappers to gauge their own success. Experience, knowledge, and a limitless number of contacts and sources throughout the country make Jim the undisputed champion in sports handicapping. For sports information there's only one person to turn to...Jim Feist
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