Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 11-04-2010, 06:26 PM

Knicks will end long layoff Thursday in Chicago

NEW YORK KNICKS (1-2)

at CHICAGO BULLS (2-1)

Tipoff: Thursday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Chicago -7, Total: 203.5

New York had to forgo its home game against Orlando Tuesday night due to asbestos in the attic -- allowing the Knicks five days to rest after their five-point loss to Portland at home. New York, averaging 42.9% FG, has the fifth-worst shooting percentage in the league and didn’t play any better against Portland, shooting 42.0% from the field and 25.0% (7-for-28) from behind the arc. Amar’e Stoudemire, who is leading the team with 21.3 PPG (46% FG), and Wilson Chandler, who is close behind at 21.0 PPG (45% FG), will both need to play well offensively for the Knicks to have any chance to hang with the Bulls. Last year, New York only went 17-22-2 (43.6%) ATS in away games and finished with a dismal 29-53 (35.4%) overall record.

Chicago is looking to get its third consecutive win at home. Luol Deng was unstoppable in Monday’s 110-98 win against Portland, shooting 14-19 (73.7%) from the field for 40 points, including 3-for-5 from three-point land. The Bulls shot a season-high 60.6% FG and went 38.5% from behind the arc, while holding Portland to 0-for-14 FG from the three-point line. Chicago has played well defensively to start the year, holding opponents to 40.0% FG and an NBA-best 18.0% three-point FG. The Bulls barely broke even last year going 21-20-2 (51.2%) ATS at home, and is 2-1 ATS overall to start the 2010-11 season. Chicago will need to have another strong offensive game in order to cover the spread against New York.

Since 1996, Chicago is 20-6 at home against New York, but the teams are an even 13-13 ATS. Over the last three seasons at United Center, Chicago is 4-0 straight up and 2-2 ATS against the Knicks.

The FoxSheets expect New York to cover the spread based on these stats:

Mike D'Antoni is 45-23 ATS (66.2%) (+19.7 Units) in road games after 2 or more consecutive losses in all games he has coached since 1996. The average score was D'Antoni 99.6, OPPONENT 103.7 - (Rating = 1*).

NEW YORK is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) over the last 3 seasons. The average score was NEW YORK 101.2, OPPONENT 105.0 - (Rating = 1*).

**Kaptain** · 11-04-2010, 06:40 PM

gl tonight SD Bum

**StarDust Bum** · 11-04-2010, 06:42 PM

Bulls, Knicks tip NBA betting TNT twinbill

The Chicago Bulls look for their third win in a row when they host the New York Knicks on Thursday night.

Chicago is 2-1 both straight-up and against the spread. An opening loss at Oklahoma City (106-95) was followed by home wins over Detroit (101-91) and Portland (110-98). The Bulls ‘covered’ the home games as nine point favorites over Detroit and one over Portland.

The Bulls had an interesting offseason to say the least. They thought they would acquire some combination of free agents LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Instead, James ‘brought his talents to South Beach’ along with Bosh, and Chicago landed Carlos Boozer as a consolation prize.

Boozer is a 20 PPG, 10 RPG power forward, but didn’t add the sizzle of the players above. He also fractured his hand under bizarre circumstances in his home and is out until at least late November.

Scoring was an issue for Chicago last year (97.5 PPG, 24th in the league). That was due to injuries and a lack of low-post scoring. Boozer can score inside, but obviously not from the trainer’s table.

Chicago has broken 100 points the last two games thanks to monster efforts from point guard Derrick Rose and small forward Luol Deng. Rose had 39 points against Detroit and Deng had 40 against Portland, the latter shaking off offseason trade rumors.

The Bulls can’t rely on outbursts like that, so supplementary scorers like Joakim Noah (14.3 PPG) and Taj Gibson (13 PPG) need to keep shooting. The team is getting no scoring from starting two-guard Keith Bogans (2.7 PPG) and Kyle Korver is the leading bench scorer at just six PPG.

The defense should be there most nights with the hiring of defensive guru Tom Thibodeau as head coach. Noah is second in the league in rebounding (15.3 per game) and can be a force defensively in the middle.

Chicago is 7-1 in the last eight games against the Atlantic Division, with the ‘under’ 4-1 in the last five of those.

New York (1-2 SU, 2-0-1 ATS) was another big loser in the LeBron sweepstakes, but is on to the newest acquisition rumor, acquiring Carmelo Anthony from Denver via trade.

The Knicks players must feel they’re all expendable because they’re constantly being bandied about in trades. The one exception is new big man Amare Stoudemire, who they’re building around.

Stoudemire leads the team at 21.3 PPG, but is only shooting 46 percent from the field. His career mark is 54.3 percent, although he had Steve Nash feeding him the ball most of the time.

The pleasant surprise this year has been Wilson Chandler (21 PPG, 10 RPG) off the bench. That’s been important with forward Danilo Gallinari shooting 5-of-24 from the field for six PPG.

Coach Mike D’Antoni prides himself on his up-tempo offense scoring points. However, the team is averaging 98 PPG, four points down from last year (102.1 PPG). More adjustment time for new point guard Raymond Felton should help. The defense has improved to 99.3 PPG, down from 105.9 PPG last season.

The Knicks are 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS on the road. They beat Toronto in the opener, 98-93 as one-point underdogs. They hung close at Boston before losing 105-101 as 9 ½-point ‘dogs.

New York was supposed to host Orlando at home on Tuesday, but it was cancelled due to ‘asbestos-related’ materials falling into the arena. The team is at least well rested, last losing at home to Portland (100-95) on Saturday after blowing a late lead.

Anthony Randolph (ankle) is expected to make his team debut on Thursday. He’s an athletic 6-foot-11 guy who should do well in D’Antoni’s system. Gallinari is probable with a sore wrist.

Chicago went 3-1 SU and ATS against New York last year, scoring 116.5 PPG in the final two games. The ‘over’ went 2-0 in those contests, with the ‘under’ 10-2 in the prior 12 NBA betting matchups between the two.

The ‘under’ is strangely 9-0 in New York’s last nine Thursday games.

Tip-off from the United Center is 5:00 p.m. (PT). It will be broadcast on TNT right before Oklahoma City at Portland. Those are the only two NBA Thursday games.

**StarDust Bum** · 11-04-2010, 06:43 PM

Canucks battle high-scoring Avalanche

The Vancouver Canucks will attempt to extend their four-game winning streak Thursday night when they make a stop in Colorado to face the Avalanche for the second time this season. The Canucks sneaked out a 4-3 overtime victory in the first meeting (Oct. 26) as hefty 185 home favorites.

The combined seven goals catapulted above the NHL betting total, which enabled the ‘over’ to cash for the fifth straight time these Western Conference foes have met.

Vancouver won the game despite getting outshot, 39-31. Mason Raymond got the game-winner by poke-checking the puck off defenseman Jonas Holos’ stick and past goaltender Peter Budaj’s pads 28 seconds into the extra period.

Matt Duchene’s sixth-attacker goal with 1:33 left in regulation tied the game at 3-3, and Budaj forced the overtime when he stopped Manny Malhotra’s breakaway in the final five seconds of regulation.

Vancouver also received goals from Jeff Tambellini, Ryan Kesler and Peter Schaefer, who got his first NHL goal in more than two years. Colorado also got goals by David Jones and Daniel Winnik.

Colorado played without a backup to Budaj after starter Craig Anderson injured his knee in the pregame warmup. Anderson is 3-4-0-0 in seven starts with a 3.15 GAA and .907 save percentage. Budaj is 3-0-1-0 in four starts despite having a 3.43 GAA and .875 save percentage. His only loss this season was to these Canucks in overtime.

Vancouver got a solid effort by goalie Roberto Luongo, who returned after a two-game break and made 36 saves. Luongo is 4-3-0-2 in nine starts with a 2.61 GAA, .915 save percentage and one shutout.

The Canucks enter this rematch with the Avs riding a four-game winning streak thanks to Tuesday’s 4-3 victory at Edmonton as 140 road favorites. The combined seven goals skipped north of the 5 ½-goal closing total, leaving the ‘over’ 6-5 in Vancouver’s first 11 outings.

It also marked Vancouver’s first road win after the club had gone 0-3-1 in its first four away efforts.

Vancouver was 2-for-4 with the man advantage against the Oilers and did not allow a power play goal in three Edmonton opportunities. The Canucks now have capitalized on 23.8 percent of their power play opportunities, which ranks sixth in the league.

The Canucks are 17th in the league on offense (2.8 GPG) and fifth on defense (2.3 GPG). They are winning 56.6 percent of their faceoff attempts, which is tops in the league.

Colorado has won two straight outings after suffering through a three-game losing skid. The latest success occurred last Saturday during a 5-1 victory against Columbus as a 135 home favorite. The combined six goals slithered above the 5 ½-goal closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash in nine of the club’s first 11 encounters.

The Avs, 2-for-4 on the power play against Columbus, rank 20th in the league by connecting on 20 percent of their opportunities with the man advantage.

Colorado is not having any problem putting the puck in the net. The squad is averaging 3.5 GPG, which ranks second in the league. However, the club is having difficulty keeping the rubber disk out of its own net. The Avs are yielding an average of 3.5 goals against, which is dead last.

Quite a bit of Colorado’s defensive deficiency is because of a penalty kill that is ranked 28th at just 73.9 percent.

Avs defenseman Kyle Cumiskey is “questionable” for Thursday’s game because of a concussion. Vancouver blue-liners Dan Hamhuis (foot) and Ryan Parent (groin) are both listed as “doubtful.”

The Canucks will return to Vancouver for a Saturday contest against Detroit before embarking on a five-game road excursion that will take them to Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Buffalo and Pittsburgh.

Colorado will play the third game on its four-game homestand with Saturday’s outing against the Dallas Stars.

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