The Bum's Tuesday's Best Bets NBA-NHL-NCAAB !

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NCAA Betting Preview: Purdue at Wisconsin


The Purdue Boilermakers and Wisconsin Badgers have only lost nine games between them this year, but one of them is going to be dealt another 'L' on Tuesday night when they meet up at the Kohl Center in Madison.

This 4 p.m. (PT) tip-off will decide which team will be in second place in the Big Ten behind the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes, and it will be seen nationally on ESPN and the ESPN family of networks.

Purdue has to figure out how to get back in the win column in NCAA basketball betting action at some point. After starting the year off 4-0 against the spread, the team has slid to losses at the Minnesota Golden Gophers, West Virginia Mountaineers and Ohio State Buckeyes. It is coming off of a fantastic home thumping of the Gophers in the revenge game at Mackey Arena on Saturday, and perhaps head coach Matt Painter and company can use that as a bit of motivation for this big game on deck on Tuesday.

JaJuan Johnson scored 24 points and dragged down seven boards on Saturday, raising his scoring average to 20.8 PPG this year. He played all 40 minutes and was not given a breather. E'Twaun Moore was off of his game, which was a bit surprising. He only scored nine points, marking the seventh time in his last eight battles in which he failed to reach his scoring average of 17.5 PPG.

Normally speaking, when either Moore or Johnson struggles, the Boilermakers are in big trouble, but on Saturday, they got great showings out of both Lewis Jackson (13 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds), and Ryne Smith (15 points). There still isn't another player on this team outside of the two stars that is averaging more than 7.0 PPG though, and that's really proving to hamper this team in the brutal Big Ten.

To no surprise, all of Wisconsin's defeats against league foes have come on the road this year, as they are just 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS thus far when playing outside of Madison in conference. The team has yet to lose at home, and it only has one failed attempt at a cover, that coming as 13 ½-point chalks on the NCAA basketball odds against the Indiana Hoosiers back on January 20. These next three home games are going to be trying though, as Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State aren't going to make for welcome visitors.

The Badgers were knocked off by the Penn State Nittany Lions over the weekend in a bad loss, and they didn't get a single point off of the bench. In fact, if you take away the efforts of Jordan Taylor, Jon Leuer, and Keaton Nankivil, the team only produced seven total points.

Just like Purdue, Wisconsin only has a few stars in its show on a regular basis. Leuer and Taylor combine for over 36 PPG, while Nankivil is averaging 9.6 PPG. These three account for well over half of the points scored on the average night, and the rest of the club merely facilitates and tries to play great defense to lead Wisky to victory.

These two teams split the college basketball wagering wars last year amongst one another SU, but the Badgers won both duels from the ATS standpoint. The Boilermakers had covered seven in a row before that against Wisconsin, and they had gone 5-2 SU in that stretch to boot.

Wisconsin and Purdue will meet once again in just three weeks at Mackey Arena.

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs begin long NBA odds trip at Portland

Swept by Phoenix in the playoffs last season, San Antonio was expected to be improved.

But the improvement the Spurs have shown is ridiculous.

The four-time world champion Spurs easily have the league’s top mark at 40-7. It’s San Antonio’s fastest start in franchise history. There have been seven previous teams to reach 40 victories in 47 games or fewer – and six of them went on to capture the NBA championship.

Now, though, the Spurs are faced with their annual Rodeo Road trip. The three-week, nine-game road swing begins Tuesday night (7:05 PT) at Portland.

Not that it would happen, but even if the Spurs were to go winless on their trip they still probably would lead the Southwest Division. That’s how commanding their division lead is.

The Spurs are 15-5 and 13-6-1 ATS in their first 20 away matchups.

Defense always has been a trademark of the Spurs in the Gregg Popovich era. However, the Spurs have been getting in done with offense averaging 104.4 points a game, fifth-best in the league.

Tony Parker has made at least 50 percent of his field goals during the past eight games. Manu Ginobili is averaging 22.6 points in his last three games. Ginobili paces a balanced San Antonio attack averaging 18.8 points a game. San Antonio has five players who average 11 or more points.

The Spurs have been playing better defense lately giving up an average of 94 points in their last 12 games. That would rank sixth if computed out during the entire season. Currently San Antonio rates 11th defensively allowing 96.9 points per game on the season.

This is bad news for the injury-racked Trail Blazers, who have broken the 100-point barrier just five times in their last 17 games.

Expected to be an outside contender for the Western Conference title, the Trail Blazers are 25-22 and clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot.

Portland is hurting in the middle with Marcus Camby out with a knee injury, Greg Oden sidelined for the season and Joel Pryzbilla essentially playing on one leg.

All-Star guard Brandon Roy is out, too, after undergoing surgery on both his knees. Roy has played only 23 games this season. Forward Nicolas Batum is ‘questionable’ with a sore hip that caused him to miss the second half of Portland’s last game.

Except for LaMarcus Aldridge, the Trail Blazers don’t have an imposing player on offense. Forced to become the team’s go-to-guy, Aldridge has responded with his finest season. The fifth-year forward is averaging 21 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the field.

Aldridge, though, has been bottled up during the past two games – both Portland home losses. Aldridge has made only 12 of 34 shots from the field in the last two games averaging 13 points as the Trail Blazers lost 96-81 to Sacramento as seven-point favorites and fell 88-78 to Boston as 4 ½-point home ‘dogs.

Portland is averaging 85.3 points in its last three games – all ‘unders.’

Despite these two home defeats, the Trail Blazers remain tough at Rose Garden. Prior to losing to the Kings and Celtics, Portland was 12-2 at home with one of those defeats occurring to Miami in overtime.

The Trail Blazers have had ample rest. They last played on Thursday when they fell to Boston.

San Antonio hasn’t played since last Saturday when it defeated Houston, 108-95, as eight-point home favorites. It was the Spurs’ 18th straight home victory.

This is the second meeting this season between San Antonio and Portland. The Spurs won, 95-78, as 7 ½-point home favorites on Dec. 12. The combined 173 points went ‘under’ the 193-point total.

[StarDust Bum]

Lakers host Rockets looking to stop skid

The Los Angeles Lakers try to avoid their first three-game home losing streak in almost three years when they host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles (33-15 straight up, 21-26-1 against the spread) started its current five-game homestand strong enough, a 120-91 win over Utah as eight-point favorites last Tuesday.

Next up was Sacramento on Friday. Kobe Bryant had 38 points while shooting 48.1 from the field. However the rest of the team had 57 points (shooting 37.7 percent) and the Lakers lost 100-95 as big 12-point favorites.

Sacramento may have been a ‘trap game’ with hated Boston visiting Sunday. A rebound effort was expected, but Bryant (41 points) was letdown again by the supporting cast (55 points). Boston won 109-96 as three-point ‘dogs, getting some revenge for the NBA Finals.

Maybe former team president Jerry West was right when he said that age was catching up to the Lakers defense. Sacramento (51.2 percent shooting) and Boston (60.3 percent) both had too many easy opportunities and the former is one of the NBA’s worst shooting teams (44.2 percent, ranked 25th).

Age is also a concern offensively. Derek Fisher (6.5 PPG) and Ron Artest (8.1 PPG) have combined for eight PPG the last two games. They’re 36 and 31 respectively. Los Angeles’ bench isn’t good enough to make up for two non-scorers, especially with Matt Barnes (knee) out until March.

The Lakers are 18-7 SU, but 10-15 ATS at home this year. They’re certainly capable of turning up their game any night and the last time they lost three straight at home was March 2008.

Los Angeles is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven games against the Southwest Division. San Antonio, currently well ahead in the Southwest standings, is up next on Thursday in another marquee matchup.

The ‘under’ is 17-4 in L.A.’s last 21 games following an ATS loss.

Houston (22-27 SU, 24-23-2 ATS) is in the middle of a brutal four-game road trip (0-2 SU, 1-1 ATS so far). It began in Dallas last Thursday. The Rockets trailed by 18 points after the first quarter, but made it close late, ‘covering’ the 6 ½-points as 111-106 losers.

Coach Rick Adelman’s team visited the red-hot Spurs (40-7 SU) on Saturday night and made it a game through three quarters. However, a 32-24 deficit in the fourth made the final 108-95, with San Antonio ‘covering’ the eight points.

The 203 combined points scored went ‘under’ the 211-point total. The ‘over’ was 5-0 in Houston’s previous five road games.

The Rockets are one of the NBA’s best offensive teams (105.1 PPG), but worst defensively (104.9 PPG). The defense is allowing an awful 113 PPG the last five road games.

The matchups in this game look horrible for Houston. Lakers’ starting center Andrew Bynum has a six-inch height advantage over 6-foot-6 Chuck Hayes. Shooting guard Kevin Martin (23 PPG) is a great scorer, but can’t come close to guarding Bryant.

Houston is a surprising 2-0 ATS against L.A. this year. The first game was opening night in Los Angeles, a 112-110 Lakers win as 6 ½-point favorites. Yao Ming was Houston’s starting center, but is now out for the year (ankle injury). Backup center Brad Miller (knee) is doubtful Tuesday.

The second game was Dec. 1, with Houston winning 109-99 as 5 ½-point home ‘dogs. Hayes started at center with Ming out, but Bynum (knee) was still sidelined, not making his season debut until mid December.

The ‘over’ is 2-0 in the meetings this year and 3-0 in the last three overall.

Houston is 7-0 ATS in its last seven against the Pacific Division.

Tip-off from Staples Center is 7:30 p.m. (PT) and will be broadcast locally. The Lakers are off until Thursday, while Houston finishes its trip in Utah on Wednesday night

[StarDust Bum]

Gators, Commodores battle NCAA odds in Florida


A pair of SEC rivals fighting to gain the respect of the polls square off in a key conference clash Tuesday night when the Florida Gators host the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Gators enter the fracas 23rd in the latest rankings posted by the coaches. Florida is unranked by the AP, sitting just outside the top 25 in 27th. Vanderbilt is listed 23rd by the AP and tied for 24th with Illinois according to the coaches.

Vanderbilt (15-5 straight up, 8-7-1 against the spread) is coming off one its worst performances of the year, an 89-78 loss at home on Saturday to Arkansas. The Commodores were 13-point favorites at Memorial Gym where they suffered their first setback in front of the home fans of the season.

Kevin Stallings' squad had no answer for Razorbacks guard Rotnei Clarke who scored a season-best 36 points. Arkansas hit over 57 percent of its field goals, the highest mark Vandy has allowed this campaign. The 78 points by the 'Dores were right on their season average (78.8), 21st in the country, and they hit an amazing 25-of-26 tosses from the charity stripe. But Vanderbilt fell well off their glass work, pulling in 21 boards compared to a 39.0 average.

Vanderbilt came out flat, possibly due to the somber task of attending a funeral for guard Chris Meriwether's mother the day before the game.

The loss extended the woes of Vanderbilt backers after the team got off to a great start at the window covering seven of its first nine lined affairs. The Commodores are now 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven.

Florida (16-5 SU, 7-10 ATS) is also coming off an upset defeat, dropping a 71-64 decision as six-point chalk at Mississippi State last Saturday. The Gators simply couldn't find the net against the Bulldogs, hitting just under 40 percent from the field and canning only 5-of-21 from long range, both well below season averages. Billy Donovan's troops also struggled from the line, missing 10 of 19 free throws while Mississippi State was netting 19 of their 23 charity tosses.

It was a particularly long afternoon for Gators guard Kenny Boynton. The sophomore from Pompano Beach, second on the team in scoring at 13 per game, was able to sink just two of his 11 field goals and none from three-point land to end the day with just four points in 30 minutes.

Junior forward Lance Goulbourne is the only significant injury for either squad to report. The Commodores' leading rebounder (7.9) and fifth-leading scorer (8.3) is questionable with a bum ankle that limited him to 17 minutes and just three boards in the loss to the Hogs.

This is the first of two meetings on the regular season slate between the two schools with the second coming on the final Saturday of the season (March 5) in Nashville. Vandy won both battles last season, covering the odds as six-point chalk at home and as a three-point underdog in Gainesville. Game totals split, the 'under' cashing at O'Connell Center.

Florida holds a 38-21 all-time edge at home against Vanderbilt who owns the overall series advantage, 63-58.

ESPN will provide Tuesday's broadcast from Gainesville with the tip coming a few minutes past 6 p.m. (PT).

Vanderbilt moves back home for its next two contests, South Carolina this Saturday and Alabama next Thursday (Feb. 10). The Gators remain at O'Connell Center for this Saturday's battle with No. 10 Kentucky. That game will be part of the Don Best preview schedule and televised by ESPN (6p.m. PT).

[StarDust Bum]

Penguins, Rangers top Tuesday NHL odds slate

Two Atlantic Division teams with a propensity to play ‘under’ contests hook up Tuesday when the Pittsburgh Penguins travel to Madison Square Garden for a meeting with the New York Rangers.

The Verizon network will televise the contest starting at 4:30 p.m. (PT) as part of a pro hockey doubleheader. The overnight line shows the Rangers as 125 home favorites, with the total set at 5 ½ ‘under’ (minus 130).

The Rangers and Penguins have met three times this season, with the road team winning on each occasion. In fact, the road team is 7-0 in the last seven series meetings.

Pittsburgh is 4-0 in its last four trips to the Big Apple and 9-3 in its last 12 overall matchups with the Rangers. Additionally, the ‘total’ dipped ‘under’ the closing 5 ½-goal total on all three meetings this season.

The first matchup occurred on Nov. 15, with the Rangers registering a 3-2 overtime victory as 145 road underdogs. The Penguins lost the game despite out-shooting the Rangers, 39-25. Pittsburgh went 0-for-6 with the man advantage, while the visiting Rangers did not enjoy a power play opportunity.

The rivals met two weeks later in New York, with the Penguins skating past the Rangers as 110 road underdogs, 3-1. Pittsburgh again outshot the Rangers, 27-26, with both squads failing to register a power play goal. The Rangers were 0-for-3, while the Pens failed on their lone opportunity.

The most recent encounter took place on Dec. 15, with the Rangers recording a 4-1 victory as 135 road underdogs. Pittsburgh again had the advantage in shots on goal (28-22) and again went scoreless in three power play chances. The Rangers finally notched their first power play goal in the series, going 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

The Penguins were 5-1 in their last six games prior to the all-star break. That included a 1-0 victory against the Islanders last Tuesday as 200 home favorites.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 29 shots to notch his second shutout of the season and raise his record to 23-11-1-1. His goals-against average dipped to 2.19 and his save percentage improved to .925.

The Penguins have now seen the ‘under’ cash in their last five games to lift their ‘under’ ledger to 30-18-2 overall. The ‘under’ is also 7-1 in their last eight road encounters.

The Don Best Sports injury report lists Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin as “doubtful” with a sinus infection. The 6-foot-3 center, who has missed the team’s last three games, has 15 goals and 22 assists.

The Rangers’ most recent game was also last Tuesday, but the result was different. New York suffered a 4-3 setback to the Florida Panthers as 120 home favorites.

The loss lowered the Rangers’ home record to a mediocre 12-11-1-1 despite outscoring the opposition at Madison Square Garden by an average of 3.00 to 2.36.

Though the combined seven goals soared ‘over’ the five-goal closing total, the ‘under’ is still 32-18 in the Rangers’ first 50 encounters.

Henrik Lundqvist was able to stop just 13 of Florida’s 17 shots in a losing effort. The native of Sweden saw his record dip to 21-16-2-1 with a 2.29 GAA and .924 save percentage. He also had registered seven shutouts.

The Rangers rank 14th offensively, scoring an average of 2.8 goals per game. They could see that mark perk up if they could improve on a 24th-ranked power play that has an anemic 16 percent success rate.

Defensively, the Rangers are allowing just 2.4 GPG, which ranks fifth. They also have the eighth best penalty killing unit, fighting of 84 percent of the opposition’s chances.

New York concludes its short two-game homestand Thursday by hosting the New Jersey Devils. Pittsburgh must make a quick turnaround to play a Wednesday home game against the Islanders.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL Betting Preview: Vancouver at Dallas Stars

Two of the best teams in the National Hockey League collide Tuesday night when Vancouver (31-10-4-5) visits Dallas (30-15-1-4). The Canucks are currently atop the Western Conference standings with 71 points, while the Stars are in third place with 65.

Vancouver enters this matchup ranked third in the league in goals per game (3.3), goals against (2.3) and power-play percentage (23.6), and fifth in penalty-kill percentage (84.2). The Canucks are 10-4 their last 14 road games, and 21-9 the previous 30 outings overall.

Dallas maintains a 16-6-4 record on its home ice, and is 7-2-1 the past 10 games overall. The Stars maintain a 7-2 ledger their last nine games against Western Conference opponents. Dallas has already reached 30 wins this season, a mark the team wasn’t able to reach last year until March 16.

Vancouver was mired in a four-game winless streak (0-1-3) before winning its past two outings. The Canucks skated past Nashville Wednesday as 180 home ‘chalk,’ 2-1, while the combined three goals went ‘under’ the 5 ½-goal closing total. The ‘over’ had cashed the previous two games.

All the scoring occurred in the third period, with rookie defenseman Lee Sweatt netting the game winner with 7:29 remaining in his NHL debut. Alex Burrows scored the first goal, and the team outshot the Predators in the third period, 17-7. Goaltender Roberto Luongo stopped 26 shots in the victory, and now hasn’t lost in regulation in 17 games (12-0-5).

Dallas had dropped consecutive contests before upending Edmonton Wednesday as a decided 238 home favorite, 3-1. The combined four goals failed to eclipse the NHL odds, ending a string of four straight ‘over’ outings.

Brenden Morrow scored twice in the victory, while Adam Burish also lit the lamp. Goalie Kari Lehtonen stonewalled 34 shots, while Jamie Langenbrunner assisted on both of Morrow’s goals.

Vancouver is 7-1 the previous eight meetings with Dallas, including wins in both meetings this season. The Canucks prevailed Dec. 31 as a 118 road favorite, 4-1, and Jan. 24 as a 169 home ‘chalk,’ 7-1. The ‘under’ is 15-4-2 the previous 21 meetings in Dallas. Vancouver jumped out to a 3-1 advantage in the first period of the latest matchup eight days ago, and put the contest away with two goals each in the second and third periods.

Vancouver defenseman Andrew Alberts (shoulder injury) is ‘questionable’ versus the Stars, while defenseman Alex Edler (back), center Alexandre Boulduc (shouder) and defensman Aaron Rome (knee) are ‘out.’ The Canucks conclude a brief two-day, two-game road trip with Wednesday’s matchup at Phoenix.

Dallas right wing Toby Petersen (leg), defenseman Jeff Woywitka (shoulder), center Tom Wandell (upper body) and left wing Jamie Benn (upper body) are ‘questionable’ against the Canucks. The Stars follow this contest with a two-game road trip versus Boston and Philadelphia.

Tuesday’s contest is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. PT from American Airlines Center in Dallas.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, February 1Game Score Status Pick Amount

Washington - 8:00 PM ET New Orleans -9 500 (NBA POD )
New Orleans - Over 190 500

Boston - 10:00 PM ET Boston -6 500
Sacramento - Under 192.5 500

San Antonio - 10:00 PM ET San Antonio -5 500
Portland - Under 189.5 500

Houston - 10:30 PM ET Houston +8.5 500
L.A. Lakers - Over 209 500

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NHL

Tuesday, February 1Game Score Status Pick Amount

Florida - 7:00 PM ET Florida +120 500
Toronto - Under 5.5 500

Ottawa - 7:00 PM ET Ottawa +145 500
New Jersey - Under 5 500

Boston - 7:00 PM ET Boston -109 500
Carolina - Under 5.5 500

NY Islanders - 7:00 PM ET NY Islanders +152 500
Atlanta - Under 5.5 500

Chicago - 7:00 PM ET Chicago -125 500
Columbus - Over 5.5 500

Pittsburgh - 7:30 PM ET Pittsburgh +113 500
NY Rangers - Under 5 500

Montreal - 7:30 PM ET Montreal +155 500 ( NHL DOG )
Washington - Under 5.5 500

Philadelphia - 7:30 PM ET Tampa Bay +101 500
Tampa Bay - Under 5.5 500

Calgary - 8:00 PM ET Nashville -129 500
Nashville - Under 5 500

Los Angeles - 8:00 PM ET Minnesota -104 500
Minnesota - Under 5 500

Vancouver - 8:30 PM ET Dallas +100 500
Dallas - Under 5.5 500

Phoenix - 10:00 PM ET Phoenix +137 500
San Jose - Under 5.5 500 ( NHL TOTAL POD )

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NCAAB

Tuesday, February 1Game Score Status Pick Amount

Wake Forest - 7:00 PM ET Wake Forest +18.5 500
Florida St. - Under 134.5 500

Ball St. - 7:00 PM ET Ball St. +1.5 500 ( MID AM POD )
Miami (OH) - Under 123.5 500

Purdue - 7:00 PM ET Purdue +5 500 ( BIG 10 DOG )
Wisconsin - Over 125 500

Kentucky - 7:00 PM ET Kentucky -6 500 (SEC BLOW OUT )
Mississippi - Under 145 500

Wichita St. - 7:05 PM ET Indiana St. +3.5 500
Indiana St. - Over 133 500

New Mexico - 8:00 PM ET Air Force +4.5 500 ( MT WEST SHOCKER )
Air Force - Under 130 500

Kansas - 9:00 PM ET Texas Tech +13 500 ( BIG 12 DOG )
Texas Tech - Over 152.5 500

Penn St. - 9:00 PM ET Penn St. +8 500
Illinois - Over 130 500

Iowa St. - 9:00 PM ET Colorado -7.5 500
Colorado - Over 152.5 500 ( BIG 12 TOTAL )

Vanderbilt - 9:00 PM ET Vanderbilt +4.5 500
Florida - Over 140 500

Marshall - 9:00 PM ET Houston +2.5 500
Houston - Under 140.5 500

North Carolina - 9:00 PM ET North Carolina -2.5 500
Boston College - Under 148 500

Good Luck !

[StarDust Bum]

Top 20 teams collide in crucial Big Ten matchup


PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (18-4, 7-2 in Big Ten)

at WISCONSIN BADGERS (15-5, 5-3 in Big Ten)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Wisconsin -4, Total: 122.5

Mr. Force, meet Mr. Object. When Purdue takes its 18-4 record to the Kohl Center to take on the host Wisconsin Badgers Tuesday evening, it will be trying to snap a three-game road losing streak against a Badger team that is undefeated at home. Matt Painter’s squad is trying to figure out why it has averaged just 65 PPG in those last three road losses, nearly 15 PPG less than it has averaged in its home games. A win would keep No. 11 Purdue within striking distance of the top-ranked Buckeyes (as much as you can be within striking distance of a team that’s undefeated). A victory for No. 19 Wisconsin would draw the Badgers within a game of Purdue, as the Big Ten, like the Big East, continues to exhibit how brutally difficult it can be to build a winning streak in a conference where practically half the teams are nationally ranked.

The Badgers are trying to bounce back from one of their more disappointing losses of the season, a 56-52 defeat Saturday at the hands of the Nittany Lions from Penn State. Wisconsin held a 13-point, first-half advantage, as well as a nine-point lead at the break, before collapsing in the second half, primarily because of the weakness of its perimeter game. The Badgers were a paltry 6-of-20 from beyond the arc, that included a 3-for-14 second-half performance from downtown. This was in stark contrast to its previous game versus Northwestern, when Wisconsin shot 12-of-26 from three-point range en route to a 78-46 blowout win over the Wildcats. Badgers leading scorer Jon Leuer had 18 versus Penn State, but shot just 3-for-9 in the second half, when the Lions took control of the game. "We hit a little bit of a cold spell on these shots right here and every guy in that locker room knows that we have to hit a couple of those," coach Bo Ryan said. "It was just one of those days." The Badgers are looking forward to not having “one of those days” when they return home to the Kohl Center, where they have won 32 of their past 33, and opponents are scoring just 55 PPG on 38.7% shooting.

Homecourt dominance aside, Wisconsin first and foremost will have to worry about stopping the conference’s most complete big man in JaJuan Johnson (20.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG). Johnson, the leading scorer in the Big Ten, is trying to reverse a trend of mediocrity in the Kohl Center, where he has a combined 14 points in his past two games in that arena. That is in stark contrast to the 24.3 PPG he has averaged in his past six games. Purdue followed up its stunningly poor performance at Ohio State last week, an 87-64 defeat, with a 73-61 bounce-back victory over Minnesota on Saturday. Johnson had 24 points, while junior Ryne Smith came off the bench to provide a major boost, scoring 15. Senior E’Twaun Moore (17.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.4 APG) is second on the team in scoring, rebounds, and assists. While Johnson has struggled in his recent trips to Madison, Moore is averaging 17.3 points in his past three games in Madison, shooting 71% from the floor, in helping his team to two victories in its past three games at Wisconsin. The Boilermakers will need that kind of production again if they are to deal the Badgers its first home loss of the year.

Both teams have had similar success ATS this season. Purdue is 12-6 ATS overall and 6-3 in Big Ten play, while the Badgers are 10-6 overall and 5-3 ATS versus conference foes. They also are 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS in the past 10 games when hosting the Boilers. These two FoxSheets trends support picking Wisconsin to win and cover on Tuesday.

Bo Ryan is 17-4 ATS (81.0%, +12.6 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points as the coach of WISCONSIN. The average score was WISCONSIN 69.8, OPPONENT 57.8 - (Rating = 3*).

PURDUE is 7-23 ATS (23.3%, -18.3 Units) in road games versus teams who average 33 or less rebounds/game on the season since 1997. The average score was PURDUE 65.5, OPPONENT 67.8 - (Rating = 2*).

This game features two of the best teams in the country in terms of taking care of the ball. In the past four games, Purdue has averaged just 8.3 turnovers per game while Wisconsin carries a stellar 5.8 TO PG in its past four contests. Without a lot of wasted possessions, the FoxSheets provide a four-star trend backing the Over.

Bo Ryan is 17-3 OVER (85.0%, +13.7 Units) in home games after 2 straight games forcing opponent to commit 11 or less turnovers as the coach of WISCONSIN. The average score was WISCONSIN 73.7, OPPONENT 58.9 - (Rating = 4*).

[StarDust Bum]

Florida favored by 3.5 over Vanderbilt


VANDERBILT COMMODORES (15-5, 3-3 in SEC)

at FLORIDA GATORS (16-5, 5-2 in SEC)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Florida -3.5, Total: 139

Blame it on looking ahead. Blame it on getting caught in a trap game. Or if you’re Milli Vanilli, blame it on the rain. Either way, Vanderbilt and Florida will enter its SEC East showdown of ranked teams (Coaches Poll only, Florida is not ranked in AP) on Tuesday night coming off losses that marked their worst performances of the year in conference play. The Commodores will be trying to make it two straight over the Gators at the O’Connell Center, and the Gators will be trying to make it two straight SEC home wins, after blitzing the Arkansas Razorbacks 75-43 back on January 22. With each team coming off of a loss, and a recent history of competitive games in this rivalry, I can guarantee that this is the only basketball game in the nation Tuesday night that will not feature two things: snow on the ground outside, and kindness on the court inside. This will be war.

Vandy is coming off a home defeat to Arkansas, 89-78, in a game that the Commodores gave up the most points it has allowed all season, while at the same time allowing the opposition to shoot 57.4% from the field, the best FG% the opponent has shot against the Commodores all season, and just the second time this year they have allowed a team to shoot better than 50%. Additionally, Arkansas outrebounded Vanderbilt 30-22, a surprising disparity, considering that the Commodores average 39.0 RPG (32nd best in Division I). Prior to the loss, Vanderbilt had been holding conference opponents to 39.6 FG% over its first five SEC contests. After the loss to the Razorbacks, Vandy coach Kevin Stallings was literally, at a loss to find the words to describe his team’s performance. "It was disappointing the lack of, I don't even know what I want to call it, the lack of something," Stallings said. Stallings would like to see his team’s defense hit the way-back machine to last March 2, when Vandy held the Gators to 36.5% shooting from the floor, and 2-of-13 from beyond the arc, en route to a 64-60 win that snapped an eight-game losing skid in Gainesville. So we know the Commodores know how to defend, and we know they know how to defend the Gators, the question is: can they do it again Tuesday night? Vanderbilt's John Jenkins (19.1 PPG) is averaging a league-high 21.8 PPG in SEC play this season after scoring 24 against Arkansas.

If Florida shoots the way it did the last time it played at home, 30-for-60 in the aforementioned 32-point shellacking of Arkansas, it may not matter who the opponent is. If more recent history is in play, then the Gators might be in trouble. In going down 71-64 to 11-9 Mississippi State, the Gators couldn’t drop it in the ocean if they were leaning over the deck of a cruise ship. They were 39.7% from the floor, 23.8 % (5-for-21) from beyond the arc, and a horrid 47.4% from the line. If this game is close down the stretch, beware of the bricks. At 65.3%, the Gators are the second worst FT shooting team in the conference. On the other hand, Vanderbilt from the stripe is 74.7%. Advantage, Commodores. Will the Commodores hold the advantage all night long? We will see. Top scorer Erving Walker averages 14.4 PPG, but was only 1-for-9 in last March’s four-point loss.

Although the Commodores are 0-5 ATS in SEC play, they are 5-2 ATS in road games this season, holding opponents 39.0% FG away from home. The Gators are 7-10 ATS overall including a brutal 2-7 ATS mark at home. They are also 2-10 ATS as the favored team. This FoxSheets trend also supports picking Vanderbilt to pull off the mild upset.

Play Against - Home favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (FLORIDA) - after beating the spread by 24 or more points total in their last three games against opponent after going over the total by 18 or more points total in their last three games. (75-38 since 1997.) (66.4%, +33.2 units. Rating = 2*).

Five of the past six meetings at O’Connell Center have finished Under the total and the FoxSheets also lean towards the Under for Tuesday’s game.

Donovan is 15-3 UNDER (83.3%, +11.7 Units) in home games off an upset loss to a conference rival as a favorite as the coach of FLORIDA. The average score was FLORIDA 72.7, OPPONENT 62.3 - (Rating = 3*).

[StarDust Bum]

Lakers look for quick recovery hosting Houston


HOUSTON ROCKETS (22-27)

at LOS ANGELES LAKERS (33-15)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Los Angeles -8.5, Total: 209

The Lakers come into Tuesday’s bout with the Rockets looking to get back to their winning ways at home. The Lakers have lost two straight in the Staples Center and are 18-7 SU at home this year, matching their loss total for all of 2009-10.

Houston has not figured out how to guard people thus far this season. The Rockets are 24th in the NBA in defense giving up 104.9 PPG and an unhealthy 108.2 PPG on the road (fourth-worst in league). The horrendous defense, especially on the road, is a big reason why the Rockets are 9-17 SU away from the Toyota Center. The Rockets rely on Kevin Martin to boost their team with scoring and energy. Martin (23.0 PPG), had only 10 points, going 4-for-13 from the field Saturday in a 108-95 loss to the Spurs. Martin had 48 points in the first two meetings with the Lakers, and will be an important ingredient for a Rockets victory.

The Lakers lost a tough one Sunday against the rival Celtics 109-96, but have no excuses for their embarrassing 100-95 loss at home to the Sacramento Kings (12-33) on Friday. The Lakers haven’t proven they can beat the NBA’s elite going 1-5 against the Celtics, Heat, Bulls, Spurs and Mavericks, but also have some recent head-scratching losses to teams such as the Clippers on Jan. 16 and Kings. Kobe Bryant (25.5 PPG) has not been the problem in the last two home losses where he’s put up 41 and 38. Los Angeles needs Pau Gasol (18.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG) to play better than he has in the past two losses. Gasol, who has been a centerpiece to the Lakers’ success, has only scored only 21 points the past two games, going 9-for-24 from the floor.

The Rockets have played the Lakers very tough this year beating them 109-99 on Dec. 1 and losing 112-110 on Oct. 26 due to a Steve Blake three-pointer with 18.8 seconds left. Houston is 4-2 ATS versus the Lakers the last two seasons and 2-0 ATS this year. The Lakers on the other hand have not been good ATS this year both overall (21-27) and at home (10-15). This is mainly due to the high expectations from being the defending NBA champions. Another good-looking trend for the Rockets is their 8-2 ATS record against Pacific Division opponents this year. The Rockets, who always play the Lakers tough, might not pull out another win, but will keep it close enough to cover with the points.

These two FoxSheets trends also side with Houston to cover.

HOUSTON is 87-40 ATS (68.5%, +43.0 Units) in road games after 2 or more consecutive losses since 1996. The average score was HOUSTON 96.4, OPPONENT 97.4 - (Rating = 2*).

HOUSTON is 76-37 ATS (67.3%, +35.3 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996. The average score was HOUSTON 100.9, OPPONENT 100.8 - (Rating = 2*).

Although six of the past eight games in this series at Staples Center have finished Under the total, this FoxSheets trend expects the game to finish Over.

LA LAKERS are 12-1 OVER (92.3%, +10.9 Units) in home games off 2 or more consecutive home losses since 1996. The average score was LA LAKERS 109.3, OPPONENT 100.2 - (Rating = 2*).

[StarDust Bum]

Trending: NBA in February


With the new month upon us, we wondered which NBA teams would thrive ATS in the shortest month of the calendar year and which might falter again as we enter the home stretch of the NBA playoff push. To uncover these recent monthly trends, we compiled all ATS records each month starting in the 2006-07 season. Below is what we found for all NBA teams in February.

Best ATS Records in February (2007-2010)
1. Utah 67% (31-15)
2. Milwaukee 63% (29-17)
3. Chicago 60% (31-21)
4. Phoenix 58% (28-20)
5. Philadelphia 57% (25-19)
6. Sacramento 56% (28-22)
Utah is in a class all by itself with four straight winning months of February ATS, including an incredible 18-5 ATS (78%) over the past two seasons. It’s hard to expect similar results this month, considering the Jazz are coming off a 4-12 ATS January and eight of their first nine February games are against Western Conference teams. Utah is 10-18 ATS (36%) against the West this season.

Milwaukee also has four straight winning February months ATS, including a whopping 10-3 ATS mark last February. The Bucks finished that month on a 6-0-1 ATS run, and kept the streak going for five more games in March for a ridiculous 10-0-2 ATS streak. Eleven of those 12 games were against Eastern Conference teams, who the Bucks continue to dominate with a 16-8 ATS (67%) record in conference games this season. Milwaukee, who is coming off a 10-6 ATS mark in January, will face an even split of six East and six west in this February.

Chicago was a mediocre 7-7 ATS in February 2007, but has increased its ATS win rate to 63% (24-14) in the past three Februarys. For 2011, the Bulls will play eight of their 11 February games on the road, including a five-game trip against Western conference teams to start the month. This is big for bettors to consider, as Chicago is a stellar 13-5 ATS (72%) versus West teams this season, including a fantastic 7-2 ATS record on the road in non-conference games.


Worst ATS Records in February (2007-2010)
30. L.A. Clippers 36% (18-32)
29. Charlotte 40% (19-28)
28. Golden State 41% (18-26)
27. Minnesota 42% (20-28)
26. Detroit 43% (20-27)
25. Memphis 43% (21-28)
Los Angeles Clippers are the only NBA team below 40% ATS over the past four Februarys with losing months in all four seasons. Starting Friday Feb. 4, the Clippers will embark on a preposterous 11-game road trip. They only play at home twice for the entire month. From a betting standpoint, this doesn’t mean they automatically should be played against. L.A. is only 3-15 SU on the road, but is a respectable 8-9-1 ATS in those games. The Clips are also a young team that builds confidence with wins, going 12-5 ATS (71%) after an SU win and 13-9 ATS (59%) after an ATS victory. They closed out January 9-4 SU (8-5 ATS), so maybe their February luck is about to change.

Charlotte’s recent February history has been a roller coaster. The Bobcats were a dreadful 2-8 ATS in 2008, 8-5 ATS in 2009 and a dismal 3-8 ATS last February. They are looking at an East-heavy February, with nine Eastern Conference opponents and just three games against the West. However, betting stats for the Bobcats show a relatively even split between their performance versus the East (14-14 ATS) and West (8-10 ATS). Charlotte has been terrible with zero days rest (4-10 ATS), but very good with only one day off in between games (12-7 ATS). In February 2011, the Bobcats will play three zero-rest games (2/5 vs. Dallas, 2/12 at Atlanta and 2/15 at Chicago) and five games after an off day.Golden State actually has a winning ATS record over the past two Februarys (11-10), after going 7-16 ATS (30%) combined in 2007 and 2008. The Warriors are currently in the midst of an eight-game homestand, but are only 1-3 (SU and ATS) so far. They will play eight home games and just three road contests in February 2011. This does not bode well for Golden State’s betting prospects, considering its dreadful 2-6 ATS mark as a home underdog this season, and that it will likely be pitted as home dogs against Chicago, Denver, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Boston and Atlanta in the month of February.

Below are the rest of the February ATS records.

Other ATS Records in February (2007-2010)
50% or Better ATS Records
7. San Antonio 55% (23-19)
8. L.A. Lakers 54% (27-23)
9. Cleveland 54% (28-24)
10. Houston 53% (24-21)
11. New York 53% (25-22)
12. Toronto 52% (23-21)
13. Oklahoma City 52% (24-22)
14t. New Jersey 50% (23-23)
14t. Denver 50% (24-24)
14t. Dallas 50% (24-24)

Losing ATS Records
17. Indiana 49% (22-23)
18. Orlando 48% (25-27)
19. New Orleans 47% (24-27)
20. Miami 47% (23-26)
21. Portland 46% (23-27)
22. Washington 46% (22-26)
23. Atlanta 45% (23-28)
24. Boston 44% (21-27)

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs try to snap 4-game losing skid in Portland


SAN ANTONIO SPURS (40-7)

at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (25-22)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:00 p.m. EDT
Line: San Antonio -5.5, Total: 191

The San Antonio Spurs come into Tuesday’s matchup looking to change their luck at the Rose Garden where they’ve lost their last four.

The Spurs start a nine-game road trip, but are certainly not afraid of playing away from the AT&T Center. The Spurs are 15-5 SU and 13-6 ATS on the road this year, but Gregg Popovich would like to see better defense in away games where they allow 99.9 PPG, which is 5.2 points more than they allow at home. With Tim Duncan starting to play like the 34-year-old he is, DeJuan Blair needs to continue his solid play. Blair who is averaging 7.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG, had 14 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday’s win over the Rockets. The Spurs, who have won three straight and 11 of 12, have a very balanced attack. Manu Ginobili (18.8 PPG), Tony Parker (17.5 PPG), Tim Duncan (13.6 PPG) and Richard Jefferson (12.3 PPG) all are savvy veterans who know how to share the ball and work well as a team.

Portland, who has won five of its past six against the Spurs, need to get back to its winning ways. The Blazers have lost two straight at home thanks to some horrid shooting. Portland scored only 78 points (36.7% FG) on Thursday against the Celtics and 81 points (39.5% FG) on the less-than-competitive Kings Jan. 24. With Marcus Camby being out for a few more weeks, LaMarcus Aldridge (21.0 PPG) needs to continue to carry the load. During the Blazers five-game win streak from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, Aldridge averaged 28.0 PPG, but in Portland’s past two home losses, Aldridge has scored 26 points combined.

Portland loves the home energy, going 16-7 SU and 12-10 ATS at the Rose Garden this year. The Blazers also have not lost three straight at home since March 29-April 6, 2008. I suspect the Portland will put up a better effort then it did on Dec. 12, when it lost 95-78 to the Spurs at the AT&T Center. I like the Blazers, behind a big game from LaMarcus Aldridge, to continue their winning ways against the Spurs and win outright.

The Blazers are 6-2 (SU and ATS) in the past eight meetings, including a perfect 4-0 mark at home (both SU and ATS). This highly-rated FoxSheets trend also supports Portland to cover the spread.

Play On - Home teams (PORTLAND) - off a home loss, extremely well rested team - playing 3 or less games in 10 days. (50-18 over the last 5 seasons.) (73.5%, +30.2 units. Rating = 3*).

This four-star FoxSheets trend expects the game to finish Under the total.

Play Under - Any team (PORTLAND) - extremely well rested team - playing 3 or less games in 10 days, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a winning team. (37-9 over the last 5 seasons.) (80.4%, +27.1 units. Rating = 4*).

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Tuesday

February 1, 2011

Today’s pro basketball card features four games and three of them will be late-night affairs. Yesterday, bettors watched the home team go 7-0 both straight up and against the spread. Favorites notched a 5-2 ATS ledger, with New Jersey and Memphis cashing as home ‘dogs against Denver and Orlando respectively. Will the trends carry over? Let’s take a quick look at the quartet.
Winless on the Road

The first game on the board pits New Orleans (31-18 SU, 27-22 ATS) against Washington (13-34 SU, 16-31 ATS) from “The Big Easy.” The Hornets opened as healthy 10-point home favorites and they won’t have center Emeka Okafor (side) on the court either. Gamblers following the NBA routinely know that you should be weary of a team that is playing its first home game after a road trip of three or more contests. And New Orleans fits that role tonight. The Hornets took their nine-game winning streak to the West Coast and they extended it to 10 with a win over Golden State (112-103). However two consecutive losses to the Kings (96-102) and Suns (102-104) over the weekend have New Orleans staring at a possible third loss in a row tonight. Even though the system play is on Washington, can you really back a team that has gone 0-24 SU and 5-19 ATS on the road? The Wizards had a chance to beat Dallas on the road last night but they blew plenty of chances and wound up losing by 10 (92-102). Ironically, the visitor has won and covered four straight battles in this head-to-head series.

Finishing Strong

Boston (36-11 SU, 22-24 ATS) wraps up its four-game road trip tonight in Sacramento (12-33 SU, 19-24 ATS) and this could be the toughest game, at least mentally. Hear me out. The Celtics have gone 2-1 both SU and ATS in the first three on this trip, which includes a double-digit win over the Lakers (109-96) on Sunday. Boston is 14-8 SU and 13-9 ATS away from home but it isn’t invincible and you can point to road setbacks this season to Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit and recently Washington last week. While it’s hard to handicap the Celtics’ emotion, it’s been the exact opposite with the Kings lately. Sacramento has gone 4-8 in its last 12 but gamblers have watched them go 8-4 ATS. What’s more impressive is that young squad played nine of those games on the road and all but one of the eight losses was by seven or less. The one bad setback came at Boston (95-119) on Jan. 12. Sacramento is catching 6 ½ points to the Celtics tonight and the club should be confident with wins its last two games over the Lakers (100-95) and Hornets (102-96).

Time for a Rodeo

San Antonio (40-7 SU, 25-22 ATS) has been a complete machine this season and betting against them has been foolish and even that’s putting it nicely. The league’s best team begins their annual “Rodeo Trip” this week with nine straight on the road. It will likely be broken into three and six-game swings with a mini-break in between. The Spurs have been solid on the road (15-5 SU, 13-6 ATS) and have been made favorites over Portland (25-22 SU, 23-24 ATS) tonight. The Trail Blazers have played great this season despite dealing with numerous injuries (Brandon Roy, Marcus Camby) but it looks like they’ve hit the wall. After ripping off five straight wins against losing clubs, Portland dropped two straight and last Thursday’s home loss to Boston (78-88) showed the lack of firepower. Nate McMillian’s squad will be rested tonight and they have had success against San Antonio, posting a 5-1 record both SU and ATS in the last six encounters. Unfortunately, that was with a healthy squad.

Three Straight?

Los Angeles (33-15 SU, 21-26 ATS) is hoping to bounce back tonight after dropping its last two games at home. Sunday’s loss to Boston (96-109) was humbling but Friday’s setback to Sacramento (95-100) was embarrassing even though the Kings are playing better. Despite those losses, Phil Jackson’s team still owns a 10-game lead in the Pacific Division and will clinch a playoff spot in early March but gamblers have to be weary of the Purple and Gold. An 18-7 record at Staples Center is decent but the 10-15 ATS ledger doesn’t suit will with bettors backing the Lakers. Houston (22-27 SU, 24-23 ATS) will try to add to Los Angeles’ misery tonight as a nine-point underdog. The Rockets have dropped two straight as well and four of their last six, including a loss to San Antonio (95-108) on Saturday. Houston has given up 108 points or more five times during this stretch, which has helped the ‘over’ go 4-2. On the road, the Rockets have gone 9-17 SU and 13-12 ATS. This will be the third meeting between the pair this season and Houston has covered both contests, including a 109-99 win on Dec. 1 as a 5 ½-point home underdog. Both contests went ‘over’ the number and the total for tonight is hovering around 210 points. Editor’s Note – VI Expert Paul Bovi is 9-1 in his last 10 NBA picks and he’s got the side and total posted on this contest.

[StarDust Bum]

February NBA Movers

January 31, 2011


After the Super Bowl, basketball will take center stage with college conference races heating up and the NBA playoff picture becoming clearer. The NBA All Star game will also get a lot of attention and figures to be one of the best in years in terms of the talent on the court. February presents some very uneven scheduling in the NBA with several teams facing very road heavy slates and a few teams looking to make up ground with limited travel in the month. Here are four teams worth watching in February that we expect to see a big rise or a fall in the standings.

Play On: Orlando Magic

Orlando has been somewhat of a forgotten team in the Eastern Conference with the attention that Boston and Miami have received. The Magic would currently be the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference behind Boston, Chicago, and Miami, and the Magic are only a game ahead of the Hawks to hold on to the #4 spot and have home court for the first round. The Magic are just two years removed from a trip to the NBA Finals and after making a few significant roster moves it has taken some time for the Magic to get all pieces back on the same page. That said the Magic are out-scoring foes by almost six points per game, compared to less than two points per game for the Hawks and Orlando could be poised for a huge month of February.

After playing nine of the last 14 games on the road to close out January the Magic will play just three road games in all of February. Only one of those road games is against a winning team and just half of the eight home games in the month will come against quality competition. Orlando is just 6-5 in the last eleven games and there could be value on the Magic in the coming weeks. It is worth noting that two of those recent losses came in overtime and the January schedule was filled with road games as the team attempted to make adjustments with the new personnel. Orlando will have a very tough March schedule but February should be a chance for the Magic to bridge the gap with the top seeds and at the very least put a firm grip on one of the top four spots.

Play On: Golden State Warriors

Golden State is 20-27 and a full five games back from the final spot in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Of the teams on the outside looking in, Golden State may be the most intriguing and the Warriors could make a push in February. Golden State had a positive January including a 7-6 S/U record in the last 13 games and an 8-5 ATS mark. The Warriors are 14-10 S/U at home this season and Golden State has home games in eight of the 11 games in the coming month.

The opposition for the Warriors is challenging with some of the better teams in the league including winning teams in seven of those games. That will create home underdog value for the Warriors in several match-ups. The Warriors incredibly are just 2-6 ATS as home underdogs this season but expect that record to improve dramatically this month. For the year Golden State is 14-15 as underdogs but there will be several favorable situations ahead including three times facing teams on the end of long road trips. Look for the Warriors to be a team capable of a few upsets and the Warriors may inch closer to the playoff picture by the end of February before fading in a very tough March schedule.

Play Against: San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have by far the best record in the NBA at 40-7 and the ATS numbers have also been outstanding with a 28-17-2 mark for the season. Going against the Spurs has been a big mistake for the most part this season and while the record is incredible the Spurs are generally not as overvalued as some of the flashier teams like the Lakers, Heat, and Celtics. The Spurs are not likely to survive what will be a brutal scheduling stretch in February without compiling a few more losses however. San Antonio will play nine consecutive road games to open the month of February, starting on the far west coast with games in Portland, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. San Antonio will then head east for six games on the east coast including two sets of back-to-back games before the all star break.

The schedule does not feature a great deal of high quality teams but that means that the Spurs are going to be heavy road favorites in several match-ups and it will be tough for San Antonio to bring great intensity every night against lesser teams and through a grueling travel schedule. Look for value to be against the Spurs in several February match-ups and while San Antonio should still have the league’s best record by the end of the month a few more losses are likely to be chalked up and keep in mind that San Antonio has played seven more home games than road games at this point in the season and this is an older team that could show more wear as the season goes on.

Play Against: Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers are growing in popularity with the rising stardom of rookie Blake Griffin and while the playoffs are not a realistic possibility for this team the Clippers have quickly become a play-on team going 13-7 in the past 20 games heading into February. The January schedule for the Clippers was incredibly easy however and only four of those 13 wins came against winning teams. The Clippers are 15-13 S/U at home and the 3-15 road mark leaves big questions heading into a road heavy schedule in February. Twelve of 14 February games for the Los Angeles will be on the road and the two home games are against elite teams, Chicago and Boston. The road trip features winning teams in seven of eleven consecutive road games and Los Angeles will not play a home game from February 2 until February 26.

With the Clippers gaining a recent buzz and winning some games over the past few weeks there is likely going to be some inflated spreads to back the Clippers as slight underdogs or even as road favorites in a few match-ups on the road trip. Look for Griffin-mania to die down a bit in February as no team could sustain success through what will be an incredibly challenging month for the Clippers.