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**Udog** · 10-21-2019, 11:08 PM

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Current Super Bowl odds:

+$240— New England

+$550— New Orleans

+$900— Green Bay

+$950— San Francisco

+1000— Kansas City

+$1600—Baltimore/Dallas

**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but……

Hey, I’m going in the shop Tuesday for my 60,000-mile checkup; be back as soon as I can.

13) When he was 16 years old, Jose Altuve went to an Astros’ tryout camp in Venezuela, but was cut because the Astros considered him to be too short.

Altuve went back the next day, where he earned his way into a deal with Houston and a signing bonus of $15,000, a small bonus.

Starting next year, Altuve will be making $29M a year; good thing he went back to that tryout.

12) From the 2017 NFL Draft:
#2— Mitchell Trubisky, Bears
#10— Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
#12— Deshaun Watson, Texans

If I owned the Bears, I might be asking my GM some questions……..

11) So far this season, NFL road underdogs are 45-23-2 ATS.

10) CG Technology in Las Vegas took two money-line bets on the Chicago Bears Sunday, totaling $540,000, so when the Saints beat Chicago, CG Technology was ��

9) Troy Aikman is an assistant coach at Episcopal School of Dallas, where his stepson plays WR; Aikman does NFL games on Thursday/Sunday, but is on the Episcopal sideline Friday nites.

8) Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa has a high ankle sprain, is expected to miss a game or two.

In 2022, Alabama is playing Austin Peay in football; why????

Play them in basketball, when they would actually have a chance; it is a ripoff to fans for a dominant program like Alabama to play a I-AA team. Play a Sun Belt team, a MAC team, play Rutgers or UMass. Or, have some onions and play UAB, an in-state team.

7) Jets’ G Kelechi Osemele told reporters that he played in pain for the first three games, took painkillers (Toradal) prescribed by the Jets and needs surgery to repair a torn labrum; the Jets think Osemele had a pre-existing condition and can play; he was cleared to play by team doctors and an independent doctor.

Osemele is making $10.2M this season, and his $9.3M base salary is guaranteed because he’s a vested veteran. Oy.

6) Was watching an old movie (1987) Sunday night, Less Than Zero, with Andrew McCarthy and Robert Downey Jr; the female lead in the movie is Jami Gertz, who is married to the owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Tony Ressler.

Ms Gertz has represented the Hawks at the NBA Draft Lottery a couple of times; ironically, the Hawks’ chances of winning an NBA title are less than zero.

5) Of the 27 guys in last year’s NBA All-Star Game, only two of them (Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker) played in all 82 regular season games.

4) New Orleans Pelicans’ rookie Zion Williamson had his knee scoped, is out 6-8 weeks.

3) Washington Redskins (+9.5) covered at home Sunday, losing 9-0 to the 49ers; they’re only second team in last 25 years to cover while being shut out. In 2007, the Dolphins (+16) lost 3-0 to the Steelers.

2) If you bet on every NFL road team this season, you would’ve shown a profit every week- road teams are 62-38-2 ATS in the NFL this year.

1) RIP to major league umpire Eric Cooper, 52, who passed away over the weekend; Cooper is one of only two umpires ever who worked the plate for two no-hitters by the same pitcher (Mark Buehrle). Cooper worked the New York-Minnesota playoff series couple weeks ago.

The other umpire is Ed Vargo, who worked two of Sandy Koufax’s no-hitters.

**Udog** · 10-21-2019, 11:09 PM

NBA Divisional Predictions
October 18, 2019
By Tony Mejia

2019-20 Divisional Odds

Psst, want to make some money?

I've got the best bets for NBA division winners. Some of them won't even win and you'll still be on the right side.

Warren Buffett wouldn't be able to cash in on the Bucks winning the Central, but he'd appreciate a Pacers' carpet ride. Who should you choose if the Rockets crash? What favorites should you swallow the juice for?

The answers have arrived.

Atlantic Division
The Raptors are going to relinquish control of the Atlantic this season and don’t offer enough value at (+600) to get behind their ability to collectively replace Kawhi Leonard’s impact. Brooklyn (+1400) has a chance to finish ahead of the defending champs if Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie can feed off one another in the backcourt instead of disrupting each other’s rhythm.

The Celtics (+400) have too many question marks surrounding them given Al Horford’s leadership void, a brand new dynamic at the point with Kemba Walker on board and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown still hunting opportunities as they progress. I’d ride the favored the 76ers (-225) despite concerns over Joel Embiid being able to play more than 64 games for the first time. Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson and Horford would keep Philly atop the division even without the benefit of their All-Star center, who is eyeing an MVP trophy after losing weight in the offseason, pledging to improve as a leader and teammate.

Central Division
Milwaukee (-2000) is the overwhelming favorite in the Central, sparking memories of when the Bulls used to be this heavy a Central Division favorite. LeBron James and the Cavs finished 25 games up on the rest of the field in ’08-’09 and Michael Jordan’s Bulls had their fun terrorizing the division back in the day, but it remains to be seen whether Giannis Antetokounmpo is capable of producing similar results with these Bucks. After winning 60 games in ending a 17-year drought between division titles, this group should repeat as Central champs but offers no value.

The Cavs (+50000) are probably going to be the league’s worst team, so we’re picking between the Pacers (+700), Pistons (+8000) and Bulls (+10000) to try and cash a big payday. Indiana has the most complete group and will get a significant boost when Victor Oladipo returns in a few months after completing his rehab and turn on FOX’s Masked Singer. Sure, he’s Thingamajig. No, I don’t watch the show, but lots of people apparently do.

Southeast Division
The Wizards (+10000) and Hornets (+20000) are longshots in the Southeast for a reason. Even though Bradley Beal re-signed and won’t be traded, Washington figures to beat only Charlotte in the division. Since the Magic (+110) and Heat (+110) are again expected to vie for the title, taking a shot with the Hawks (+650) is your only viable option if you want to cash in and pay some bills via divisional investment.

Although they’re already young and thrusting rookies DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish into key roles, leaders Trae Young and John Collins could make the type of leap necessary to get the Hawks over .500. My expectation is that Jimmy Butler’s arrival in South Florida will close out a dominant 10-year span for the Heat with a seventh division title.

Southwest Division
Houston (-400) is too heavily favored to consider as the best betting choice in the Southwest. There will likely be an adjustment period ahead for the Rockets in meshing the talents of James Harden and Russell Westbrook effectively, so we’re looking at their Texas-based brethren to sneak in ahead of them.

The Spurs are going to be strong again, regaining the services of top defender Dejounte Murray to pair with Derrick White, Bryn Forbes and veteran Patty Mills next to DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay and LaMarcus Aldridge. San Antonio (+600) hasn’t failed to win its division in three straight years since 1991-94, back when it was still called the Midwest. Dallas (+1000) and New Orleans (+1400) is still probably another season away from being consistent enough to trust in a Southwest chase, while Memphis (+10000) looks a year away from being two years away.

Northwest Division
The Northwest surpassed the Southwest as the NBA’s most competitive division over the past two seasons but thins out some with Westbrook in Houston and the Thunder (+10000) set to take a step back. The Nuggets (+100) are the favorite after winning last season but the Jazz (+125) and Trail Blazers (+700) each won 50 games last season. After losing by a single game last season and bringing the likes of Rodney Hood, Hassan Whiteside and Kent Bazemore into training camp, this might be the most talented Portland group once Jusuf Nurkic returns.

The Timberwolves (+4000) aren’t worth backing since they don’t defend well enough, which might also be the reason Portland falls short. My choice here is Utah, which has added Mike Conley to relieve pressure off Donovan Mitchell and should reap the benefits of their decision-making and Rudy Gobert’s game-changing defense to make the difference late in games.

Pacific Division
The Clippers (+220) are listed slightly ahead of their Staples Center roommates (+250) as the team to beat in the Western Conference but are expected to have a much better regular season. The Clippers (-200) are the clear Pacific Division favorite over the Lakers (+300) and their projected win total has been set at 52.5, four victories higher. The rationale is that Doc Rivers’ team will likely bring a higher intensity level to work down the stretch since they’re projected to be the best defensive team in basketball given the presence of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell.

First-year Lakers head coach Frank Vogel will be coaching everyone on his roster for the first time and will be deferring to LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ desire to get their bodies ready for the playoffs by sitting out games in March and April. Golden State (+350) is appealing since Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are defiant in their insistence that they expect to compete for a championship again and aren’t the types you typically want to fade. Klay Thompson will return early in 2020, but it’s the early absence of Kevon Looney that worries me more since it could add to a rocky start on the defensive end.

Sacramento (+8000) should be a .500 team this season but will remain fourth in the pecking order, while the Suns (+50000) have a shot at adding another No. 1 overall pick to the arsenal. Given the likelihood that Rivers gets his Clips to defend consistently, you would be a fool to go in another direction.

**Udog** · 10-21-2019, 11:10 PM

NBA Western Conference betting preview: ATS picks, best Over/Under bets, and win totals predictions
Jason Logan

Given just how good this team could be if all the pieces come together, the current price on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers to win the Pacific Division is still pretty good.

The Larry O’Brien Trophy may rest in the East but the power now lies in the West.

Much like LeBron James migration to the Western Conference last season, Kawhi Leonard’s decision to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers shook the NBA in a summer filled with big-name player movement. And for proof, just look at the NBA futures odds.

Six of the top eight teams on the NBA Championship odds board call the West home, which makes the conference its most competitive in years. The L.A. teams are tangled at the top (Clippers +300, Lakers +500), with Houston (+900) right behind. The old guard – the Golden State Warriors (+1,200) – can’t be counted out either, while second-tier hopefuls like the Utah Jazz (+1,200) and Denver Nuggets (+2,000) get more respect from oddsmakers than all but two Eastern Conference teams.

We run down the Western Conference by division, uncovering betting value in what should be a wild, wild, wild, wild West in 2019-20:

NORTHWEST DIVISION

BEST POINTSPEAD POTENTIAL: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

The Blazers are the third overall choice to win the division (+550) behind the Jazz and Nuggets (both +120) but have a ton of momentum after a run to the Western Conference finals last spring. The teams showed grit and a killer instinct in tight series versus Oklahoma City and Denver. This team finished with a 52-44-2 ATS record in 2018-19 and added some toughness on the defensive end around stars Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Jusuf Nurkic is still out of action, but the addition of Hassan Whiteside should help fill the gap in the paint.

BEST TOTAL BET: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER UNDERS

You don’t lose two MVP-caliber scorers and not feel the impact on the scoreboard. The Thunder, which went 41-44-2 Over/Under in the regular season and playoffs last year, could be one of the better Under bets in the conference to start the season. Oklahoma City averaged 114.5 points per game and played the sixth-fastest pace in the league – that’s gone with George and Westbrook. The Thunder don’t shoot the ball particularly well from outside either, so expect a slowed tempo and physical defense – headlined by premier wing defender Andre Roberson - in this transition year. That’s a recipe for Unders.

BEST SEASON WIN TOTAL BET: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER UNDER 30.5

This is one of the deepest divisions in the Association and the Thunder will be bringing a knife to a gunfight most nights after losing their top two players this summer as well as the explosive Jerami Grant, who they dealt to division rival Denver. Oklahoma City is putting a lot on the aging legs of Chris Paul, whose minutes are declining year over year, at least to start the season (rumor is that OKC might deal him at the deadline). This team could be turning on the tank by Christmas Day, especially since it faces the most daunting schedule in the NBA.

BEST VALUE TO WIN DIVISION: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS +550

As mentioned above, the Blazers sit third in the Northwest futures odds behind the Nuggets and Jazz. And while those two rivals will be very good again, Portland earned some serious stripes during that postseason run. It went 14-14 SU in divisional matchups in 2018-19 and finished 37-31 SU versus the Western Conference. Offseason additions will boost the bench production on both ends of the court and Damian Lillard has next-level swagger after slaying Westbrook in the playoffs and beefing with Shaq Diesel this fall. He’s a sneaky pick to win MVP at +2,500.

PACIFIC DIVISION

BEST POINTSPREAD POTENTIAL: SACRAMENTO KINGS

Finding a value spread bet in the Pacific is like finding a gap in Anthony Davis’ eyebrows: it’s there but you got to look pretty hard to spot it. The Clippers and Lakers will see their nightly lines padded and the public will do their worst to run those spreads up, and the Warriors may not care enough until January to give an effort worthy of covering a spread. That leaves us with the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings, the latter of which went 45-35-2 ATS in 2018-19. The Kings made improvements last season and have a talented and deep core of youngsters, including De’Aaron Fox, and some seasoned vets to help keep this crowd grounded. Given the nightly competition, Sacramento will get plenty of points from bookies this season.

BEST TOTAL BET: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS OVERS

Take away Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson (for at least half the season), and any other team would sink to the bottom of the NBA’s offensive stats. But we’re talking about the Warriors here. Golden State is still going to put up buckets, behind the green-light shooting of Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell, who is settling into this new system under Steve Kerr. The Dubs also have other scoring options in Draymond Green and Alec Burks. Defensively, Golden State may struggle – which is great if you’re betting the Over. Last season, the Warriors ranked in the middle of the pack in points allowed but the loss of Durant to free agency and not having Thompson for a while takes two of their top defenders out of the mix. The goal this season is to do enough to make the playoffs, then take it from there. So, don’t expect an all-out effort from the Warriors every night.

BEST SEASON WIN TOTAL BET: LOS ANGELES LAKERS UNDER 50.5

According to the season win totals, the Clippers are 3.5 games better than the Lakers right now. But while the Clippers have their respective MVP candidates in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (much like the Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis), the bodies supporting those superstars are spryer than the ones in purple and gold. The Lakers are leaning on some aging legs to get them back to the postseason in 2019-20, and those bodies will break down over the course of the calendar. Not to mention, LeBron and Davis have seen their share of the sideline in recent seasons. The Lakers would be foolish to try to chase the Clippers in the standings and should focus on staying healthy and a gaining home-court edge in the opening round or two.

BEST VALUE TO WIN DIVISION: LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS -125

Given just how good this team could be if all the pieces come together, this current price on the Clippers to win the Pacific Division is still pretty good. You can thank the hype around the Lakers and the respect given to the Warriors for that. Leonard made a champion out of the Raptors and comes to L.A. with more around him in terms of support. Granted, L.A. plays in the West – not the East – but with George and Patrick Beverley on the court with him, Kawhi doesn’t have to be the top scorer and top defender at all times. The Clippers have fantastic coaching and a deep bench that put up a league-high 53.2 points per game in 2018-19. As we’ve seen, anything can happen in the playoffs, but Los Angeles should lead the pack in the Pacific this season.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

BEST POINTSPREAD POTENTIAL: DALLAS MAVERICKS

Dallas was one of the best bets in the NBA last season, finishing with a 45-34-3 record against the spread thanks in part to a better-than-expected defense, a soft bottom half of the division, and a boatload of points showing up on the Mavs doorstep most nights. Dallas was an underdog in 52 of its 82 games in 2018-19, covering at a near 61 percent clip when getting the points. The Mavericks have plenty to be excited about this season, finally debuting unicorn Kristaps Porzingis and pairing him with budding star Luka Doncic. Dallas added some solid role players around those two matchup nightmares and should stay among the best bets in the West, as they still cruise under the radar in a conference filled with championship contenders and big names.

BEST TOTAL BET: NEW ORLEANS PELICANS UNDER

Wait, what? Isn’t Alvin Gentry revving the engines on offense with all these fresh, young legs in New Orleans? Yes, but eventually. The Pelicans see a mass turnover in talent this season, with eight new faces expected to be regulars in the rotation. That means plenty of growing pains for guys like Lonzo Ball and the former Lakers, Zion Williamson, and European addition Nicolo Melli. That could lead to a slow start for the second-fastest team in the NBA. Also, let’s not discount New Orleans’ defensive prowess (stop giggling). This team was among the worst defenses with Anthony Davis last year but should be tough on the perimeter and gets a versatile defender in Zion, who can kind of do it all. The Pelicans finished 44-37-1 Over/Under last year but should be a worth an Under look in the early workings of the schedule as oddsmakers set their totals a tick too high.

BEST SEASON WIN TOTAL BET: SAN ANTONIO SPURS UNDER 46.5

The Spurs will still finish second in the Southwest but expect a sharper decline in wins from the 48 victories posted a year ago – at least less than 46. The Rockets are projected to win more with Russell Westbrook on board, Dallas will step forward this year, and New Orleans should also improve from its 33 wins of 2018-19. San Antonio has a strong – yet aging core – with LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay all hitting the twilight of their careers. They have a deep roster of contributors but missed the boat on free agency and face a tough division night in and night out, compared to three 33-win teams sitting below them in the standings last year.

BEST VALUE TO WIN DIVISION: HOUSTON ROCKETS -400

Do you want value or a losing play? Value isn’t always picking up plus-money returns, sometimes it’s taking the best bet available. And that’s the Rockets in the Southwest. The James Harden and Westbrook backcourt could either be very, very good or blow up in the Rockets’ faces – I don’t think there’s a middle ground – but it should be enough to keep Houston ahead of the Spurs, who are their only real threat in the Southwest. Westbrook gives the Rockets another gear on offense and his ability to get to the basket and collapse the defense should provide a lot of time for Houston’s perimeter guns to fire away on the kickouts, as well as give some easy buckets to the interior talents like Clint Capela. It won’t always be pretty, but the Rockets are the class of this conference.

**Udog** · 10-21-2019, 11:10 PM

NBA Eastern Conference betting preview: ATS picks, best Over/Under bets, and win totals predictions
Andrew Caley

The Raptors proved they could win last season without Kawhi Leonard, going 17-5 (16-6 ATS) last season when Kawhi Leonard was out.

The Larry O’B resides in the East for the first time in a long time without LeBron James’ name being attached to it. But Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard returned to Southern California to join the Clippers this offseason, meaning the Eastern conference crown is up for grabs once again.

The Bucks and the 76ers are the frontrunners to win the conference at +125 and +150 respectively, while the Celtics (+800) and Nets (+1200) are hoping to make a run at the East crown. But don’t count out the defending champion Raptors (+3000) even without Kawhi.

We run down the Eastern Conference by division, uncovering betting value in what should be a wide-open battle for the East title in 2019-20:

ATLANTIC DIVISION

BEST POINTSPEAD POTENTIAL: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

The only team in the Atlantic with a winning ATS record last season was the Nets. And now Brooklyn has gone through a massive roster overhaul. So, who will be the best team to back in 2019-20? Kemba Walker may be a better fir for the Celtics, but he’s not on the same talent level as Kyrie Irving, and plus, the Celtics are too public. And good luck betting the Knicks. So, that leaves the big favorites to win the division, the 76ers (-225), and the defending NBA champion Raptors, sans Kawhi Leonard. The champs played very well without Leonard and covered a lot of spreads in his absence, going 16-6 ATS. But that may have been because books didn’t realize how good the rest of the team was. That shouldn’t happen this year. We’d go with the Raps here except for one variable. If Toronto doesn’t get off to a good start, Masai Ujiri could move pieces with his eyes set on the future. So, the answer is Philly by default, but it's elite defense should help things out in that regard.

BEST TOTAL BET: PHILADELPHIA 76ERS UNDERS

After a tough postseason defeat at the hands of the eventual champion Raptors, you knew changes were coming in Philly. Starting with Joel Embiid getting into better shape. Next, out went Jimmy Butler and J.J. Reddick, then Tobias Harris resigned, and they brought in Al Horford and Josh Richardson. Now, the Sixers will be one of the longest and most athletic teams in the Association and their opponents are going to have a lot trouble scoring this season. That said, while there are some very talented scorers on this team, the lack of pure shooters has to be concerning. All of Philly’s best 3-point shooters are no longer on the roster, while Harris and Richardson combined to shoot 34.2 percent from beyond the arc. Oh, but did you hear? Ben Simmons hit a preseason 3-pointer. This team will go cold at times and that means lots of Unders.

BEST SEASON WIN TOTAL BET: BROOKLYN NETS UNDER 42.5

The Nets had a breakout season last year under coach Kenny Atkinson, going 42-40 and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15. Then the Nets went out and had about one of the best offseasons imaginable, landing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in free agency. But that might not translate to wins this season. Durant is most likely out for the entire season while he rehabs from his Achilles injury. And how much faith fan you have in Kyrie after his less than ceremonious exit from Boston? The reason the Nets had so much success last season was due to the large amount of role players buying into Atkinson’s system. Now, most of those glue-guys are gone to make room for the superstars and most importantly, will Irving buy in? The future is bright in Brooklyn, maybe just not this season.

BEST VALUE TO WIN DIVISION: TORONTO RAPTORS +600

There is a lot of hype surrounding the 76ers this season. But if you believe that replacing Jimmy Butler and J.J. Reddick with Horford and Richardson is an upgrade, then I have a bridge to sell you. And with Walker joining the Celtics, people are overlooking the champs. Even with Leonard gone, the Raps still return the likes of Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol. While other guys like OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet are primed to take a step forward. This team also proved they could win last season without Kawhi Leonard, going 17-5 last season when their superstar missed over a quarter of the season due to “load management” days off. You can also expect that president Ujiri will have something up his sleeve if things are going well near the trade deadline. It also can’t be understated that not one team in the East got objectively better for the 2019-20 season. At +600, the champs are a steal.

CENTRAL DIVISION

BEST POINTSPEAD POTENTIAL: MILWAUKEE BUCKS

We gave the Pistons a hard look here, but it will be hard to trust them on a day-to-day basis just based on Blake Griffin’s injury history. So, we turn our attention to the Bucks. Milwaukee not only had the NBA’s best record at 60-22, it was the NBA’s best bet as well, going 47-31-4 ATS. The Bucks come into this season with a chip on their shoulder after bowing out of the East Finals by dropping four-straight games to the Raptors. Giannis Antetokounmpo returns as the reigning MVP, and the scary part is he hasn’t even come close to reaching his potential. They brought back Khris Middleton, George Hill and Brook Lopez, while adding Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews. It will be interesting to see how the team looks with the departure of Malcolm Brogdon, which in turn puts more pressure on Eric Bledsoe, who looked awful in the East Finals. Either way, this team has the best player in the conference (maybe the league) and fantastic depth. They’re going to win a lot of regular season games, covering plenty of spreads in the process.

BEST TOTAL BET: INDIANA PACERS UNDERS

The Pacers were the best Under bet in the Central last season at 36-46 O/U and there’s no reason to think they can’t do it again this season. You can trust Nate McMillan will have his team as tough as it comes on the defensive end of the floor. Indiana ranked first in the NBA, limiting opponents to just 104.7 points per game and third in defensive rating. On the other end of the floor, they ranked 22nd in points per game, 18th in offensive rating and star guard Victory Oladipo won’t be ready for the start of the season. McMillan still has to figure out if Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis can play effectively together. Newcomers Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren will help carry the offensive load, but it will be interesting to see how all these pieces will fit together and how quickly Oladipo returns.

BEST SEASON WIN TOTAL BET: PISTONS OVER 37.5

This is pretty simple. If Blake Griffin is healthy this season, the Pistons will eclipse this number. Detroit won 41 games last season behind the All-NBA forward, but flamed out in the playoffs thanks to a knee injury. But Griffin is back and ready to take his revamped game to the next level. The power forward averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds last season, but the crazy part was Griffin took 522 3-pointers last season, hitting a respectable 36.2 percent of them. Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson return as well, and the Pistons added some depth this offseason, bringing in sharp shooter Tony Snell, a reimagined Derrick Rose and “Iso” Joe Johnson after his BIG3 heroics. In a weak East and weaker division, the Piston should go Over this number in a return to the playoffs.

BEST VALUE TO WIN DIVISION: MILWAUKEE BUCKS (-2000)

Admittedly, calling anyone -2000 a good value bet seems ridiculous. But there’s a reason the Bucks are favored by this much. As mentioned above, they have a chip on their shoulder, arguably the best player in the league and the NBA Coach of the Year. The Bucks also face little competition from within their own division. The Bulls and Cavs are still in the middle of rebuilds and no one knows just exactly how good the Pistons and Pacers will be. So yes, this is a steep price, but the fact that Milwaukee will not only lead the division in wins, but maybe the entire Eastern Conference once again, makes this the most valuable bet. Because when it comes down to it a win is a win and The Greek Freak will be on a mission in Milwaukee this season.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

BEST POINTSPREAD POTENTIAL: MIAMI HEAT

The Magic were the best bet in the Southeast last season at 45-36-1 ATS, but the Heat weren’t too far behind at 43-38-1 and all they did was go out and get Jimmy Butler. The Heat already ranked seventh in the Association in defensive efficiency last season and now have Butler, who is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Butler is also one of the best closers in the game (sorry Dion Waiters), which is also helpful when trying to cover numbers. The Heat are also one of the best coached teams in the NBA with Erik Spoelstra manning the sidelines. And if there is anyone that can handle Butler’s ego it’s coach Spo. With the Heat’s younger players seemingly ready to take the next step, this team has all the ingredients to be a solid bet this season.

BEST TOTAL BET: ATLANTA HAWKS OVERS

The Hawks should be on everyone’s NBA League Pass must-watch list this season. Led by standout second-year pro Trae Young, the Hawks have a young talented core which also includes John Collins, and rookies Cam Reddish and D’Andre Hunter. The Hawks got off to a rough start last year, which led to many people writing them off early on. However, Atlanta went 23-30 in its last 53 games and ranked 11th in offensive rating after the All-Star break. The youth movement in Atlanta is for real (even though Vince Carter is still hanging around), but that could still mean growing pains, especially on the defensive end of the floor, where they ranked dead last in opponent points per game at nearly 120 per contest. Hawks games could be a lot of fun to watch this year with plenty of points. Which should result in plenty of Overs.

BEST SEASON WIN TOTAL BET: WASHINGTON WIZARDS UNDER 26.5

Free Bradley Beal! Free Bradley Beal! Free Bradley Beal! No, but really, as a fan of good basketball it’s painful to watch one of the NBA’s best shooting guards waste away on this Wizards team. The optimists will tell you that Washington’s young players have potential, but let’s be real, this season has “tank” written all over it for the Wizards. Beal has an extension offer from the Wizards on the table, but hasn’t signed it yet. Scott Brooks isn’t the great head coach out there. And the Wiz are already dealing with a multitude of injuries that don’t include John Wall. Please Washington, trade Bradley Beal. Signed, every NBA fan everywhere.

BEST VALUE TO WIN THE DIVISION: MIAMI HEAT +110

The Southeast was the worst division in the NBA last season. The Magic won the Southeast title with just 42 wins and didn’t do anything to improve their roster. Sure, their talent could develop, but a huge leap isn’t expected. The Heat on the other hand, now have the division's best player in Butler. Jimmy Buckets gets a fresh start in South Beach a year after the injury-filled Dwyane Wade farewell tour season that saw them win just 39 games. And Butler should have support. Goran Dragic is still good when healthy, the enigma that is Justice Winslow seems a little closer to being unlocked and Bam Adebayo looks ready to be an impact player. Not to mention, the Heat have arguably the best head coach in the Association in Spoelstra. The Heat have the talent and potential to be in the conversation of the Top 5 teams in the East and should claim their seventh division title in the last 10 years.

**Udog** · 10-21-2019, 11:11 PM

503LA LAKERS -504 LA CLIPPERS
LA CLIPPERS are 26-12 ATS (12.8 Units) vs. division opponents in the last 3 seasons.

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, October 22

New Orleans @ Toronto

Game 501-502
October 22, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
110.685
Toronto
131.455
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 21
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 6 1/2
231 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-6 1/2); Under

LA Lakers @ LA Clippers

Game 503-504
October 22, 2019 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
116.153
LA Clippers
119.964
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 4
240
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 1
227
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-1); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 22

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NEW ORLEANS (33 - 49) at TORONTO (74 - 32) - 10/22/2019, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-1 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA LAKERS (37 - 45) at LA CLIPPERS (50 - 38) - 10/22/2019, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 5-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 5-3 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA

Tuesday, October 22

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Trend Report
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
Toronto is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Toronto is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
Toronto is 13-5-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing New Orleans
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing New Orleans
Toronto is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Toronto is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans
New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans is 4-12 ATS in its last 16 games
New Orleans is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 7 games
New Orleans is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games on the road
New Orleans is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Toronto
New Orleans is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Orleans's last 7 games when playing Toronto
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
New Orleans is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto

Los Angeles Clippers
LA Clippers is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
LA Clippers is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games
LA Clippers is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
LA Clippers is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 6 games at home
LA Clippers is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 7 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of LA Clippers's last 19 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Clippers is 14-7 ATS in its last 21 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
LA Clippers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
LA Clippers is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
LA Lakers is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
LA Lakers is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of LA Lakers's last 12 games
LA Lakers is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games on the road
LA Lakers is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games on the road
LA Lakers is 4-19 SU in its last 23 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Lakers's last 7 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of LA Lakers's last 19 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Lakers is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Lakers is 7-14 ATS in its last 21 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Lakers is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers

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Announcement

Tuesday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 10/22

Tuesday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 10/22

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