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  • Sunday Trends and Indexes 12/21 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

    Trends and Indexes

    Sunday, December 21

    Good Luck on day #356 of 2008!

    For College Football and the NFL, look for separate threads to be posted and updated:
    • NCAAF Bowl Season Trends and Indexes 12/20 through 1/8”
    • “NFL Week 16 Trends and Indexes 12/18 through 12/22”

    For now, the balance of the sports menu in this thread will consist of the NBA, College Basketball, and the NHL until their seasons are played out. Also, general sports news and notes will still be posted here.

    NOTE:
    As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
    Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
    Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • #2
    Daily Sports Roundup

    Sunday, December 21

    Eli Manning and the New York Giants will be looking to clinch home-field advantage in the NFC on Sunday night. Here's a look in your Daily Sports Roundup.

    The Gridiron Spotlight

    Manning and company are stumbling toward the finish line, with consecutive losses versus the Eagles and Cowboys over the past two weeks. However, at 11-3 straight-up (and 10-4 against-the-spread) the Giants can still wrap up home-field advantage in the conference by getting past the Panthers on Sunday night. Carolina is also 11-3 SU this year (8-5-1 ATS), and two games ahead of both the Falcons and Bucs in the NFC South. The Giants are pegged as 3-point favorites.

    Over in the AFC a battle for home-field advantage will take place in Tennessee, with the Steelers (11-3 SU, 8-6 ATS) facing off against the Titans (12-2 SU, 11-2-1 ATS). Pittsburgh has already clinched the AFC North title, and Tennessee is the champion of the AFC South. The Steelers are listed as 2-point road favorites.

    The three 9-5 AFC East teams are all in action on Sunday as that division race goes down to the wire. Miami is a 3.5-point road favorite versus Kansas City, the Jets are favored by 4 points in Seattle, and the Patriots are giving 7.5 points at home against the Cardinals. The 8-6 Broncos can clinch the AFC West with a win over Buffalo; Denver is listed as a 6.5-point home favorite in that matchup.

    Minnesota is a 3-point home favorite against Atlanta, with the Vikings trying to lock down the NFC North and the Falcons trying to stay alive in the NFC Wild Card race. Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Washington are still in the NFC playoff race as well; the Bucs are favored by 3.5 points at home against the Chargers, while the Eagles are 5-point favorites against the Redskins down in Washington.

    The rest of the Sunday slate: Cincinnati at Cleveland (-3), San Francisco (-5.5) at St. Louis, New Orleans (-7) at Detroit, and Houston (-7) at Oakland. The Texans have won four games in a row, while the Lions are on that 14-game losing skid.

    Other Notable Events

    A single bowl game will compete with the NFL for attention on Sunday night, as Southern Miss will take on Troy in the New Orleans Bowl. The Trojans went 8-4 SU and 7-4 ATS during the regular season, and they trounced Arkansas State 35-9 in their last outing to win the Sun Belt. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 28-12 victory over SMU, and they went 6-6 SU and 7-5 ATS this year. The oddsmakers have Troy listed as a 4.5-point favorite, with the total at 55 points.

    The Rest of the Schedule

    The NBA offers up just four games on Sunday, including the East-leading Boston Celtics at home against the New York Knicks. The Pistons and Hawks will meet in Atlanta in another Eastern clash early on Sunday afternoon, while Dallas will later be in Washington, and LeBron's Cavaliers will travel down to Oklahoma City.

    In the NHL, the Bruins will play the second of back-to-back games on Sunday when they travel to St. Louis to meet the Blues. As well, Philadelphia will make the short trip to New Jersey for a 1:00pm ET contest, while Colorado will be in Florida, and Carolina will then close out the weekend with a game up in Montreal.

    Finally, there are just a pair of ranked college basketball teams in action on Sunday, with No. 3 Pittsburgh at Florida State, and No. 25 Clemson at Miami-FL.

    A Peek at the Future

    This week's Monday Night Football matchup has Green Bay at Chicago; the Bears are pegged as 4-point home favorites, with the total at 41 points . . . there are six NBA games on tap for Monday night, including Houston at New Jersey, the Lakers at Memphis, and Portland at Denver . . . the next bowl game is the Poinsettia Bowl on Tuesday, with TCU favored by 2.5 points versus Boise State.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Comment


    • #3
      Weekend's six-pack

      NFL knowledge with Week 16 upon us.......

      -- Jets covered two of last eight on the road vs NFC teams.

      -- Saints covered four of last 14 when laying seven or more points.

      -- Rams are 10-21 vs spread in their last 31 home games; this is the sixth time in last 17 home games that there is TV blackout for game.

      -- Eagles are 23-9 vs spread in last 32 NFC East road games.

      -- Bengals covered four of their last thirteen road games.

      -- Buffalo is 6-10 vs spread as non-divisional road underdog.

      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      Comment


      • #4
        Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a wild sports Saturday

        13) I wonder if an NFL team has ever had two 75+-yard TD runs in the last 4:00 of the same game, with two different runners doing the honors. Those two plays are the longest two running plays Cowboys have given up in their 49-year history.

        12) Baltimore K Stover sold game programs in Texas Stadium when he was a kid. He kicked four field goals Saturday night.

        11) After gaining 163 yards on their first 43 plays, Ravens gained 278 yards on next 24. Baltimore's 33-24 win Saturday night helps all NFC contenders (Falcons-Eagles-Bears-Bucs), hurts all the AFC hopefuls (Patriots-Dolphins-Jets).

        10) Cowboys now need to win at Philly next week and get a decent amount of help to make the playoffs. Have fun selling those 100,000 seats with the PCLs attached if Dallas misses the playoffs.

        9) Xavier was unbeaten, with emphasis on WAS- they were down 31 at the half to Duke in the Meadowlands Saturday. Xavier made final score respectable (82-64) but it was a severe beating, one that could leave little bit of a hangover attached to it.

        8) Tubby Smith!!! Minnesota is still unbeaten after his Gophers beat Louisville 70-65 on a neutral court in Arizona; you for the feeling on Saturday that this result will be significant on Selection Sunday.

        7) Another good win for Big 11 was Michigan State's 74-72 win in Houston against the Texas Longhorns. Sutan's return to lineup is big thing for Izzo's club. Texas is playing a really hard schedule.

        6) Purdue led Davidson 21-0, Duke led Xavier 18-2, as couple of the CBS made-for-TV games got out of hand quickly. Davidson's league isn't very good, so they overscheduled in pre-conference-- it caught up with them in West Lafayette Saturday.

        5) Kid on Wofford missed a foul shot with 0:05 left and Terriers up by a hoop in OT, then Georgia player came down, hit running trey at the buzzer to give struggling Dawgs a highly dramatic 74-73 win at home Saturday afternoon. The outburst was more relief than joy, I'm thinking-- a loss to Wofford would have been very damaging.

        4) Morale of story in Navy-Wake Forest bowl game is that its really, really hard to beat same team twice in same season. Deacons rallied from 10-0 deficit to beat Middies 29-19 and end their season 8-5.

        3) Fresno State's defense looked slow all season long, never moreso than in 40-35 loss to very mediocre Colorado State club. For a team with a senior QB, Bulldogs had a dismal season.

        2) The lighting at Tropicana Field is weird for baseball, even weirder for football; South Florida broke out white helmets for game 20 miles from their campus and crushed Memphis 41-14, putting good ending on a disappointing season.

        1) Arizona won its bowl game, the first in a decade, as senior Tuitama QB'd his team to a 31-21 win in a sloppily-played game over a BYU team playing in the Las Vegas Bowl for the four consecutive season. You don't normally associate Mormons and gambling, but they must like it in Vegas, or else they wouldn't go there four years in a row.

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        Comment


        • #5
          National Basketball Association – Trend Sheet

          NBA


          Sunday, December 21

          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Trend Sheet
          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          2:00 PM DETROIT vs. ATLANTA
          Detroit is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
          Detroit is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Atlanta
          Atlanta is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
          Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games


          6:00 PM DALLAS vs. WASHINGTON
          Dallas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
          Dallas is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Washington
          Washington is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
          Washington is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Dallas


          6:00 PM NEW YORK vs. BOSTON
          New York is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
          New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
          Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
          Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games


          7:00 PM CLEVELAND vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
          Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
          Cleveland is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
          Oklahoma City is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Cleveland
          The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing Cleveland

          --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          Comment


          • #6
            National Basketball Association – Hot lines

            NBA


            Sunday, December 21

            -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Pick ‘n’ Roll: NBA bets
            -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (-14.5, 209)

            The Boston Celtics set out to equal a franchise record with their 18th consecutive victory Sunday when they host the New York Knicks.

            The Celtics (25-2) have shown no championship hangover after winning their NBA-most 17th title last season, and now can match their club-record 18-game winning streak established from Feb. 24-March 26, 1982. The current 17-game run is tied for the eighth-best winning streak in NBA history and is the longest in the league since Houston's 22-game run from Jan. 29-March 18.

            A victory would also match the best 28-game start in NBA history, first accomplished by the 1966-67 76ers and equaled by the 1969-70 Knicks. Both of those teams eventually won the NBA title.

            Boston, which didn't have a winning streak longer than 10 in its 2007-08 championship run, is coming off its best offensive game of the season, shooting 59.5 percent in a 126-108 victory over Chicago on Friday.

            Sometimes lost in the offensive shuffle behind the "Big Three" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, both Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo have made significant contributions during the winning streak. Perkins has averaged 10.9 points and 8.8 rebounds with four double-doubles while shooting 62.0 percent, and Rondo has contributed 12.6 points, 8.2 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game while making 55.0 percent of his shots in the 17 wins.

            The Celtics are 15-1 at home, and including last season's playoffs, have won 34 of their last 36 at TD Banknorth Garden.

            The Knicks (11-15) have lost three straight, and are trying to regroup from a 105-81 drubbing by Milwaukee on Friday. New York committed 23 turnovers that led to 30 points for the Bucks.

            New York remains one of the worst defensive teams in the league at 107.2 points per game, and has allowed 110.7 per contest during its losing streak. The Knicks have been outscored by 14.2 points per game in their seven-game skid to the Celtics, allowing them to shoot 50.3 percent - including 53.2 percent in the Nov. 18 defeat.

            Pick: Over



            Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards (+6, 200)

            Jason Terry is giving the Dallas Mavericks a backup they can count on. The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, can barely rely on their starters.

            Terry and the Mavericks look to beat the lowly Wizards for the first time in four games as the teams meet Sunday night.

            Dallas (14-11) has lost three straight against Washington (4-20) after winning the previous six meetings, but the Wizards now have the Eastern Conference's worst record after making the playoffs the last four seasons.

            The Mavericks lost seven of their first nine games, but have bounced back since putting Terry in a reserve role. The veteran guard is averaging 21.7 points in 20 games coming off the bench, and Dallas has won 13 of those contests.

            Terry started five games early in November and the Mavs lost four of them. They lost in Terry's first game after moving back to the bench, but won 12 of the next 15.

            Washington has had to contend with losing starters Gilbert Arenas (knee) and center Brendan Haywood (wrist) to injuries, with each player yet to suit up this season. Additionally, starting power forward Antawn Jamison is playing with a strained left thumb.

            Washington's starters are averaging 61.8 points, which ranks near the bottom of the league. The Wizards are near the middle of the pack in scoring overall, though, posting 96.9 points per contest.

            Despite his injury, Jamison scored 23 points against Philadelphia in a 109-103 loss on Friday night.

            Washington has lost five straight and is 3-10 under interim coach Ed Tapscott. The Wizards, who are 3-11 at home, have given up 116.3 points per game during a current three-game losing streak at the Verizon Center.

            Pick: Mavericks

            -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Comment


            • #7
              College Basketball – Long Sheet

              NCAAB
              Long Sheet


              If additional trends become available, we will re-post.

              Sunday, December 21

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              YOUNGSTOWN ST (2 - 7) at CHARLOTTE (3 - 6) - 12/21/2008, 2:00 PM
              Top Trends for this game.
              CHARLOTTE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all home games over the last 2 seasons.
              CHARLOTTE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              PITTSBURGH (11 - 0) at FLORIDA ST (11 - 1) - 12/21/2008, 5:30 PM
              There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              PITTSBURGH is 1-0 against the spread versus FLORIDA ST over the last 3 seasons
              PITTSBURGH is 1-0 straight up against FLORIDA ST over the last 3 seasons
              1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              CLEMSON (11 - 0) at MIAMI (7 - 2) - 12/21/2008, 7:45 PM
              Top Trends for this game.
              MIAMI is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
              MIAMI is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
              MIAMI is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
              MIAMI is 13-2 ATS (+10.8 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

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

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              WASHINGTON ST (7 - 3) at IDAHO (5 - 5) - 12/21/2008, 8:00 PM
              There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              IDAHO is 1-1 against the spread versus WASHINGTON ST over the last 3 seasons
              WASHINGTON ST is 2-0 straight up against IDAHO over the last 3 seasons
              2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              MURRAY ST (5 - 3) vs. ORAL ROBERTS (2 - 8) - 12/21/2008, 3:00 PM
              There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              WRIGHT ST (3 - 7) vs. S FLORIDA (3 - 5) - 12/21/2008, 5:30 PM
              There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              NORFOLK ST (1 - 6) vs. MIDDLE TENN ST (4 - 5) - 12/21/2008, 6:30 PM
              There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              UC-IRVINE (1 - 7) at MISSOURI ST (5 - 3) - 12/21/2008, 9:05 PM
              There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              LOYOLA-MD (3 - 7) at CAL DAVIS (4 - 7) - 12/21/2008, 5:00 PM
              Top Trends for this game.
              LOYOLA-MD is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
              LOYOLA-MD is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
              LOYOLA-MD is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

              Head-to-Head Series History
              CAL DAVIS is 1-0 against the spread versus LOYOLA-MD over the last 3 seasons
              LOYOLA-MD is 1-0 straight up against CAL DAVIS over the last 3 seasons
              1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              Comment


              • #8
                College Basketball – Trend Sheet

                NCAAB


                Sunday, December 21

                -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Trend Sheet
                -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                12:00 PM DELAWARE vs. BOSTON UNIVERSITY
                Delaware is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
                Delaware is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston University
                No trends available


                1:00 PM HARVARD vs. MAINE
                Harvard is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
                Harvard is 2-20 SU in its last 22 games on the road
                No trends available


                1:00 PM PRESBYTERIAN vs. BALL STATE
                No trends available
                Ball State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
                Ball State is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games at home


                2:00 PM YOUNGSTOWN STATE vs. CHARLOTTE
                Youngstown State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
                Youngstown State is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games on the road
                Charlotte is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
                The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 6 games


                2:05 PM SOUTH DAKOTA STATE vs. NORTHERN IOWA
                No trends available
                Northern Iowa is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
                Northern Iowa is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games


                4:00 PM BROWN vs. WAGNER
                Brown is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                Brown is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games
                No trends available


                4:00 PM LAFAYETTE vs. PENN STATE
                No trends available
                Penn State is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
                Penn State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home


                4:00 PM WESTERN ILLINOIS vs. SE MISSOURI STATE
                No trends available
                SE Missouri State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
                SE Missouri State is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games at home


                5:00 PM ALABAMA A&M vs. WESTERN KENTUCKY
                No trends available
                Western Kentucky is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
                Western Kentucky is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games


                5:00 PM LOYOLA vs. UC DAVIS
                Loyola is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
                Loyola is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
                UC Davis is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games
                UC Davis is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games at home


                5:15 PM WRIGHT STATE vs. SOUTH FLORIDA
                Wright State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
                Wright State is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
                South Florida is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games


                5:30 PM PITTSBURGH vs. FLORIDA STATE
                Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
                Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
                Florida State is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games
                Florida State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home


                6:15 PM SAM HOUSTON STATE vs. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE
                No trends available
                Louisiana-Lafayette is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
                Louisiana-Lafayette is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games


                7:45 PM CLEMSON vs. MIAMI
                Clemson is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                The total has gone OVER in 4 of Clemson's last 5 games on the road
                Miami is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Clemson
                Miami is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Clemson


                8:00 PM WASHINGTON STATE vs. IDAHO
                Washington State is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Idaho
                Washington State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Idaho
                Idaho is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
                Idaho is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games


                9:05 PM UC IRVINE vs. MISSOURI STATE
                UC Irvine is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
                UC Irvine is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
                Missouri State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
                Missouri State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home

                -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Comment


                • #9
                  National Hockey League – Trend Sheet

                  NHL


                  Sunday, December 21

                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Trend Sheet
                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  1:00 PM PHILADELPHIA vs. NEW JERSEY
                  Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
                  Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
                  New Jersey is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games when playing Philadelphia
                  New Jersey is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Philadelphia


                  5:00 PM COLORADO vs. FLORIDA
                  Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
                  The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games
                  Florida is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Colorado
                  The total has gone OVER in 6 of Florida's last 8 games when playing Colorado


                  6:00 PM BOSTON vs. ST. LOUIS
                  Boston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
                  Boston is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
                  St. Louis is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
                  St. Louis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston


                  7:00 PM CAROLINA vs. MONTREAL
                  Carolina is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
                  Carolina is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
                  Montreal is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
                  Montreal is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Carolina

                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    NHL


                    Sunday, December 21


                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Ice picks: Sunday's best NHL bets
                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                    Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils (-127. 5.5)

                    Two of the league's hottest teams face off Sunday afternoon when the Philadelphia Flyers visit the Atlantic Division rival New Jersey Devils.

                    The second and third-place teams in the Atlantic behind the New York Rangers, Philadelphia (18-8-6) and New Jersey (18-9-3) have both been surging for more than a month. The Flyers have won 14 of 19 games (14-2-3) since Nov. 11 to amass 31 points - tied with Eastern Conference-leading Boston for the most in that stretch. Meanwhile, the Devils boast an 11-2-1 record since Nov. 15.

                    This is the fourth meeting of the season between these division foes, with the Flyers holding a 2-1 edge. Philadelphia won two October matchups, including a 6-3 victory Oct. 24 at the Prudential Center, but fell 3-2 in overtime at home on Dec. 4.

                    Philadelphia has recovered to win six of seven since that loss, and matched a season high in goals Saturday in a 7-1 home victory over Washington. Backup goalie Antero Niittymaki made a season-high 47 saves to help the Flyers rebound from Thursday's 5-2 defeat at Montreal.

                    "Niitty stood tall and gave us the momentum," said center Jeff Carter, who had two goals and two assists.

                    Niittymaki has compiled a 2.52 goals-against average in winning six of his last seven starts, including two of three in place of the flu-ridden Martin Biron. However, he is 0-5-3 with a 3.54 GAA in his last 11 appearances - including eight starts - against the Devils since April 1, 2006.

                    Scott Hartnell scored three times in the third period Saturday, recording his fifth career hat trick and his second in the last five games. The winger - who also had an assist Saturday - scored three goals in a Dec. 6 win at Carolina.

                    "It's been a good couple of weeks," said Hartnell, who has seven goals and three assists in his last six games. "I just want to keep going, stay positive, and stay confident."

                    Pick: Philadelphia +117



                    Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues (+139, 5.5)

                    Little has interrupted the Boston Bruins' success this season. The St. Louis Blues, though, have posed a challenge for them in recent years.

                    The surging but suddenly injury-beset Bruins look to end a seven-game winless streak against the Blues - and an equally lengthy slide in St. Louis - on Sunday night.

                    Boston (23-5-4) dropped five of its first seven contests in 2008-09, but has gone 21-3-1 since Oct. 25. The Bruins have collected 43 points to tie league-leading San Jose, which has posted a 20-3-3 mark over that span.

                    The Bruins' surge has been fueled by an offense that has amassed 118 goals, including 23 during the Eastern Conference leaders' current four-game winning streak.

                    On Saturday, four players scored for Boston in a 4-2 win over Carolina, but that was overshadowed by the loss of center Patrice Bergeron following an open-ice collision with the Hurricanes' Dennis Seidenberg.

                    Bergeron was helped from the ice with an apparent head or neck injury. He is listed day-to-day, but the team will likely be very cautious as Bergeron missed almost all of last season with a concussion and broken nose.

                    "The doctors have been looking at it," Bruins coach Claude Julien said of Bergeron, who has four goals and 14 assists in 31 games this season. "They haven't given us any indication as far as the severity of it.

                    "Obviously, he went down a little dazed. We're not able to give you a verdict. That's all I can tell you about that situation."

                    During the game, the Bruins placed forward Marco Sturm on long-term injured reserve with a knee injury that will keep him out at least 30 days. Sturm has scored four of his seven goals this season on the power play.

                    If the Bruins are to secure a season high-tying fifth straight win, they'll need to end their recent struggles against the Blues (13-16-3).

                    Boston is 0-2-5 against them since posting a home win on Jan. 30, 2001. The Bruins, who also open a five-game road trip, have dropped seven straight (0-3-4) in St. Louis since Dec. 29, 1996.

                    Pick: Boston -149


                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      NBA
                      Long Sheet



                      Sunday, December 21


                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      DETROIT (14 - 10) at ATLANTA (16 - 10) - 12/21/2008, 2:05 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      DETROIT is 64-45 ATS (+14.5 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
                      DETROIT is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
                      DETROIT is 42-25 ATS (+14.5 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      ATLANTA is 4-3 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
                      DETROIT is 6-1 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
                      5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      NEW YORK (11 - 15) at BOSTON (25 - 2) - 12/21/2008, 6:05 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      BOSTON is 82-52 ATS (+24.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 63-44 ATS (+14.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 43-27 ATS (+13.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 36-20 ATS (+14.0 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 16-3 ATS (+12.7 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 37-18 ATS (+17.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 41-21 ATS (+17.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
                      BOSTON is 55-83 ATS (-36.3 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      BOSTON is 7-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
                      BOSTON is 8-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
                      5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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                      DALLAS (14 - 11) at WASHINGTON (4 - 20) - 12/21/2008, 6:05 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      DALLAS is 197-140 ATS (+43.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      WASHINGTON is 3-1 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                      WASHINGTON is 3-1 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                      2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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                      CLEVELAND (22 - 4) at OKLAHOMA CITY (3 - 24) - 12/21/2008, 7:05 PM
                      Top Trends for this game.
                      CLEVELAND is 21-5 ATS (+15.5 Units) in all games this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 18-3 ATS (+14.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 37-24 ATS (+10.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
                      CLEVELAND is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in December games this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 21-5 ATS (+15.5 Units) first half of the season this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
                      CLEVELAND is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
                      CLEVELAND is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

                      Head-to-Head Series History
                      CLEVELAND is 3-2 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
                      CLEVELAND is 3-2 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
                      4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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                      Comment


                      • #12
                        NBA
                        Dunkel



                        Detroit at Atlanta
                        The Pistons look to take advantage of an Atlanta team that is just 4-7 ATS as a favorite. Detroit is the underdog pick (+4) according to Dunkel, which has the Hawks favored by only 1. Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+4). Here are all of today's picks.

                        SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21

                        Game 501-502: Detroit at Atlanta
                        Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 119.656; Atlanta 120.503
                        Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1; 184 1/2
                        Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 4; 186
                        Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+4); Under

                        Game 503-504: New York at Boston
                        Dunkel Ratings: New York 119.220; Boston 132.654
                        Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 13 1/2; 206 1/2
                        Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 14 1/2; 209
                        Dunkel Pick: New York (+14 1/2); Under

                        Game 505-506: Dallas at Washington
                        Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 120.363; Washington 113.106
                        Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 7; 205
                        Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 6; 200
                        Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-6); Over

                        Game 507-508: Cleveland at Oklahoma City
                        Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 127.115; Oklahoma City 115.292
                        Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 12; 196
                        Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 13 1/2; 191 1/2
                        Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+13 1/2); Over

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          NCAAB
                          Dunkel



                          Clemson at Miami (FL)
                          The undefeated Tigers (11-0) face a tough road test against a Miami team that is 15-8 ATS over the last three seasons as a favorite. The Hurricanes are the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has Miami favored by 6. Dunkel Pick: Miami (FL) (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

                          SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21

                          Game 509-510: Youngstown State at NC Charlotte
                          Dunkel Ratings: Youngstown State 47.006; NC Charlotte 62.013
                          Dunkel Line: Charlotte by 15
                          Vegas Line: Charlotte by 17
                          Dunkel Pick: Youngstown State (+17)

                          Game 511-512: Pittsburgh at Florida State
                          Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh 76.474; Florida State 65.137
                          Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 11
                          Vegas Line: Pittsburgh by 7 1/2
                          Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-7 1/2)

                          Game 513-514: Clemson at Miami (FL)
                          Dunkel Ratings: Clemson 69.358; Miami (FL) 75.022
                          Dunkel Line: Miami (FL) by 6
                          Vegas Line: Miami (FL) by 3 1/2
                          Dunkel Pick: Miami (FL) (-3 1/2)

                          Game 515-516: Washington State at Idaho
                          Dunkel Ratings: Washington State 67.117; Idaho 58.736
                          Dunkel Line: Washington State by 8 1/2
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 517-518: Marist vs. Columbia
                          Dunkel Ratings: Marist 49.539; Columbia 45.967
                          Dunkel Line: Marist by 3 1/2
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 519-520: Virginia Tech at St. John's
                          Dunkel Ratings: Virginia Tech 63.598; St. John's 64.238
                          Dunkel Line: St. John's by 1
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 521-522: Murray State vs. Oral Roberts
                          Dunkel Ratings: Murray State 53.808; Oral Roberts 53.119
                          Dunkel Line: Murray State by 1
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 523-524: Wright State vs. South Florida
                          Dunkel Ratings: Wright State 54.113; South Florida 56.834
                          Dunkel Line: South Florida by 3
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 525-526: Norfolk State vs. Middle Tennessee State
                          Dunkel Ratings: Norfolk State 37.085; Middle Tennessee State 56.519
                          Dunkel Line: Middle Tennessee State by 19 1/2
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 527-528: UC Irvine vs. Missouri State
                          Dunkel Ratings: UC Irvine 44.571; Missouri State 60.217
                          Dunkel Line: Missouri State by 15 1/2
                          Vegas Line: No Line
                          Dunkel Pick: N/A

                          Game 529-530: Loyola-MD at UC Davis
                          Dunkel Ratings: Loyola-MD 44.637; UC Davis 54.112
                          Dunkel Line: UC Davis by 9 1/2
                          Vegas Line: UC Davis by 7
                          Dunkel Pick: UC Davis (-7)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            NHL
                            Dunkel



                            Carolina at Montreal
                            The Hurricanes look to build on their 4-1 record at Montreal over the last three seasons. Carolina is the underdog pick (+150) according to Dunkel, which has the Hurricanes favored straight up by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+150). Here are all of today's picks.

                            SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21

                            Game 1-2: Philadelphia at New Jersey
                            Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 11.175; New Jersey 13.049
                            Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 2; 6 1/2
                            Vegas Line & Total: New Jersey (-135); 5 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (-135); Over

                            Game 3-4: Colorado at Florida
                            Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 11.465; Florida 12.495
                            Dunkel Line & Total: Florida by 1; 4 1/2
                            Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-145); 5 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick: Florida (-145); Under

                            Game 5-6: Boston at St. Louis
                            Dunkel Ratings: Boston 11.841; St. Louis 11.701
                            Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1/2; 5
                            Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-170); 5 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick: Boston (-170); Under

                            Game 7-8: Carolina at Montreal
                            Dunkel Ratings: Carolina 12.018; Montreal 10.697
                            Dunkel Line & Total: Carolina by 1 1/2; 6
                            Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-170); 5 1/2
                            Dunkel Pick: Carolina (+150); Over

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              NHL
                              Long Sheet



                              Sunday, December 21


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                              PHILADELPHIA (18-8-0-6, 42 pts.) at NEW JERSEY (18-9-0-3, 39 pts.) - 12/21/2008, 1:05 PM
                              Top Trends for this game.
                              PHILADELPHIA is 30-17 ATS (+48.0 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
                              PHILADELPHIA is 49-38 ATS (+93.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season since 1996.

                              Head-to-Head Series History
                              NEW JERSEY is 14-5 (+7.8 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
                              NEW JERSEY is 14-5-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
                              9 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.3 Units)

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                              COLORADO (16-15-0-1, 33 pts.) at FLORIDA (14-14-0-4, 32 pts.) - 12/21/2008, 5:05 PM
                              Top Trends for this game.
                              COLORADO is 19-7 ATS (+11.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
                              COLORADO is 6-0 ATS (+6.0 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
                              FLORIDA is 87-104 ATS (+204.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
                              FLORIDA is 7-17 ATS (-14.0 Units) in home games on Sunday games since 1996.
                              FLORIDA is 59-99 ATS (+162.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
                              FLORIDA is 8-14 ATS (-6.8 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
                              FLORIDA is 40-61 ATS (-37.0 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

                              Head-to-Head Series History
                              COLORADO is 2-0 (+2.3 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
                              COLORADO is 2-0-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
                              2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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                              BOSTON (23-4-0-5, 51 pts.) at ST LOUIS (13-16-0-3, 29 pts.) - 12/21/2008, 6:05 PM
                              Top Trends for this game.
                              BOSTON is 23-9 ATS (+10.9 Units) in all games this season.
                              BOSTON is 9-4 ATS (+13.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
                              BOSTON is 23-9 ATS (+10.9 Units) first half of the season this season.
                              BOSTON is 12-6 ATS (+19.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
                              BOSTON is 27-12 ATS (+14.0 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
                              BOSTON is 27-14 ATS (+12.2 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
                              BOSTON is 13-2 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
                              BOSTON is 13-2 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season this season.
                              ST LOUIS is 6-23 ATS (+33.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
                              ST LOUIS is 11-23 ATS (+38.2 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.

                              Head-to-Head Series History
                              ST LOUIS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
                              ST LOUIS is 2-0-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
                              1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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                              CAROLINA (15-13-0-5, 35 pts.) at MONTREAL (19-9-0-5, 43 pts.) - 12/21/2008, 7:05 PM
                              Top Trends for this game.
                              MONTREAL is 17-20 ATS (-8.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 over the last 2 seasons.
                              MONTREAL is 10-15 ATS (-16.7 Units) in home games revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 2 seasons.
                              MONTREAL is 14-16 ATS (-13.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
                              MONTREAL is 6-11 ATS (-14.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

                              Head-to-Head Series History
                              CAROLINA is 7-4 (+1.8 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
                              CAROLINA is 7-4-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
                              7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.5 Units)

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                              Comment

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