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

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NCAA Betting Preview: Illinois at Minnesota

Williams Arena in Minneapolis is the site of Thursday night’s Big Ten clash between the Fighting Illini of Illinois and the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game is set to tip at 6 p.m. (PT) and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Illinois is just 2-5 straight up in its last seven games and coming off a 71-70 loss to Northwestern as a 1 ½-point road underdog this past Saturday. Its last victory was a 68-51 romp over Penn State as an eight-point home favorite on Feb. 2. The Fighting Illini find themselves fighting for their tournament lives with an overall record of 15-8 SU (12-11 against the spread) and a 5-5 SU record in conference play.

Senior guard Demetri McCarney leads the team in scoring with an average 14.7 points a game and in assists with an average of 6.7. Senior forward Mike Davis is second on the team in both points with 11.3 and rebounds with 6.7 a game. Senior center Mike Tisdale helps round out a veteran lineup with 9.7 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, while sophomore D.J Richardson is averaging 9.5 points.

The Illini are shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range led by McCarney, who is hitting 45 percent of his shots and an impressive 48.5 percent from outside the three-point line. They are averaging 73 points and 35 rebounds a game.

Minnesota comes into this game with three straight losses including a disappointing 60-57 setback against Indiana last Wednesday as a three-point road favorite and an 82-69 pasting at the hands of No.1 Ohio State as a 4 ½-point home underdog this past Saturday. The Gophers have fallen to 16-7 SU and 10-13 ATS. They are currently in fifth-place in the Big Ten at 5-6 SU.

A big question mark for this game will be the availability of senior guard Blake Hoffarber, who is listed as probable with a knee injury. He leads the Gophers in points with 14.2 and assists with four a game. Junior forward Trevor Mbakwe is the team’s second leading scorer with 13 points a game and has been a force underneath the boards with an average of 10.3 rebounds. Junior center-forward Ralph Sampson III has also been a key contributor with 10.9 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

Minnesota is averaging 72 points a game. It is shooting a respectable 46.6 percent from the floor, but just 33.1 percent from three-point range and 65.1 percent from the foul-line. The Gophers remain one of the more solid rebounding teams in the country with an average of 39 a game.

Illinois is 2-3 ATS in its last five games on the road and 3-2 ATS in its last five games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in three of its last five games.

Minnesota is 2-3 ATS in its last five home games and 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in three of its last five games.

Head-to-head, the Illini have won eight of the last 10 games SU, but the Gophers have won two of the last three including a 62-60 victory as a three-point road underdog last season. Illinois is 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings and the total has stayed ‘under’ in the last five.

Minnesota should open as a slight favorite this time around, but the Fighting Illini have a good chance of getting an outright win on the road with Hoffarber a bit banged-up. At the very least, they remain a solid pick to cover with the points.

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NCAA Odds: St. Mary's Gaels at Santa Clara

Only three weeks ago there was talk that Saint Mary’s was better than its Sweet 16 team of last season even without star center Omar Samhan.

There’s no such chatter about that now.

The Gaels are leading the West Coast Conference with an 8-1 mark, but they haven’t been sharp in their last six games.

That could open the door for Santa Clara, 15-10 overall and 5-3 in conference. The Broncos host Saint Mary’s Thursday at 8 p.m. PT.

If the Broncos lose to Saint Mary’s they would fall 3 ½ games off the lead with only five league games left, thus in all likelihood ending their title hopes.

Saint Mary’s was at its sharpest just before Christmas and going through mid-January when it went 7-0 with an average victory margin of 21.8 points. Some believed the Gaels were better than in 2010 when they upset No. 2 seed Villanova in the NCAA Tournament in the second round before losing to Baylor in the Sweet 16.

Since then, however, the 20-4 Gaels have failed to cover in five of their last six games. Saint Mary’s has been particularly flat in its past three contests getting blown out by Portland, 80-75, as six-point road favorites, getting past Pepperdine, 79-71, as 21-point home ‘chalk’ and defeating Loyola-Marymount, 79-70, as 16 ½-point home favorites.

Matthew Dellavedova scored 23 points to pace Saint Mary’s past Loyola Marymount. Mickey McConnell had 16 points and 10 assists. Dellavedova was just three-of-16 shooting from the floor in his previous two games, scoring a combined 10 points during that span.

The Gaels are 13-0 at home, but 4-3 in true road settings. Saint Mary’s now faces Santa Clara and second place San Francisco also on the road on Saturday. The Broncos are 10-4 at home, 4-5 ATS.

The rise of Santa Clara and San Francisco has given the West Coast Conference a rare sense of parity where before Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s were the only main forces.

Still, if St. Mary’s does win the league title and conference tournament, the possibility is strong that only the Gaels would get an NCAA Tournament berth.

Saint Mary’s is allowing 64.8 points per game. But the Gaels are giving up an average of 77.2 points during their last five games. The ‘over’ has cashed during the Gaels’ last three games.

Santa Clara fell 68-62 to San Francisco this past Saturday as one-point road favorites. The loss halted a five-game winning streak for the Broncos. The combined 130 points went ‘under’ the 141 ½-point total. Santa Clara shot just 33.3 percent from the floor.

Kevin Foster, the conference’s leading scorer at 19 points a game, scored 14 points against San Francisco making only four of 18 shots from the floor. He missed all 10 of his shots from three-point range.

Saint Mary’s held Foster to 15 points on five-of-15 shooting from the floor in the team’s first meeting. The Gaels won 84-59 as 17-point home favorites on Jan. 15. The combined 143 points dipped ‘under’ the 148-point total.

McConnell paced six Gaels in double figures with 18 points in the victory, dominating Santa Clara freshman guard point guard Evan Roquermore.

McConnell is a prime Player of the Year candidate in the WCC ranking third in scoring at 16.3 points per game and first in assists averaging 6.3 per contest.

Another key matchup is Rob Jones, who ranks No. 2 in the conference in rebounding, against Marc Trasolini, who averages 12.3 points and is second in the league in field goal percentage making 57.1 percent of his shots.

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Nuggets, Mavericks cap NBA odds doubleheader

A possible postseason preview takes place Thursday night between a pair of teams playing on back-to-back nights. Dallas (36-15 straight up, 27-22-2 against the spread) is playing at Sacramento Wednesday night, while Denver (30-22 SU, 22-27-3 ATS) is at Golden State.

The Mavericks are presently the second-seeded team in the Western Conference, and would host the seventh-seeded Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs if the regular season ended today. Dallas remains in second place in the Southwest standings behind San Antonio, while Denver is in third place in the Northwest Division.

The Mavericks are riding a nine-game SU winning streak heading into Wednesday’s matchup after holding off Cleveland Monday as a decided 14-point home ‘chalk,’ 99-96. The combined 195 points failed to topple the 206 ½-point closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘over’ outings. Dallas had covered five games in a row before hosting the Cavaliers.

The Mavericks finished the contest with advantages in rebounding (51-43) and assists (21-18), shooting 41 percent (34-of-83) from the field and 39 percent (7-of-22) from behind the arc. Shooting guard Jason Terry led the team with 23 points and five assists, while forward Shawn Marion added 17 and 10 rebounds.

Denver has alternated wins and losses SU and ATS its last five games heading into Wednesday night. The Nuggets continued their uneven playing with Monday’s setback to Houston as a five-point home favorite, 108-103. The combined 211 points failed to topple the 218 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash the second consecutive contest.

Denver made things closer by outscoring the Rockets in the fourth quarter, 37-27, but the deficit was too big to overcome. The Nuggets grabbed more rebounds (47-37), but Houston delivered more assists (27-14). Denver shot 46 percent from the field (35-of-77), led by forward Carmelo Anthony who produced 50 points and 11 rebounds in the defeat.

Dallas and Denver have met twice this season, with the road team prevailing SU and ATS each time. The Mavericks won Nov. 3 as a four-point road underdog, 102-101, while the combined 203 points went ‘under’ the 205 ½-point closing total.

The Nuggets returned the favor three days later as a 6 ½-point road ‘dog, 103-92, while the combined 195 points failed to eclipse the 203 ½-point closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed the previous three games in this series. Denver is 14-4 ATS the past 18 matchups with the Mavericks, and 7-3 ATS the last 10 home encounters.

Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki is ‘probable’ versus the Nuggets with an injured wrist, while guard Dominique Jones (foot) is ‘out’ indefinitely. The Mavericks conclude a three-game road trip with Saturday’s matchup at Houston. Dallas is 6-2 ATS its previous eight outings against Northwest Division opponents.

Denver center Nene Hilario (illness) and guard Chauncey Billups (knee) are ‘questionable’ against the Mavericks. The Nuggets follow this contest with a three-game road trip against Memphis, Houston and Milwaukee. Denver has seen the ‘over’ go 7-3 its last 10 outings overall.

TNT will provide national coverage of Thursday’s matchup beginning at 7:30 p.m. PT from Denver’s Pepsi Center. The game is preceded on TNT by the Celtics, Lakers contest in Boston

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NBA Odds: Celtics and Lakers meet again

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers meet in their historic rivalry for the second time in 12 days, this one Thursday night from the East Coast. Boston’s bench has been ravaged by the injury bug lately.

Los Angeles (36-16 straight-up, 23-28-1 against the spread) has been in the news recently as rumors are swirling about a potential Carmelo Anthony acquisition. Denver is looking to ship the impeding free agent somewhere and there were at least preliminary discussions with Lakers’ center Andrew Bynum the main trade bait.

The addition of Anthony (24.6 PPG) would certainly increase L.A.’s offense, but the loss of the seven-foot Bynum would hurt defensively and on the boards. Pau Gasol would be forced to play center and Lamar Odom would likely start at power forward. Ron Artest would head to the bench.

Ironically, it was the Lakers size up front with Bynum and Gasol that allowed them to get by Boston (4-3) in the NBA Finals last year. Don’t expect this trade to happen.

Bynum had 11 points and six rebounds in the first meeting against Boston this year. It came in SoCal on Jan. 30, with the Celtics winning 109-96 as three-point underdogs. Paul Pierce had 32 points and the Lakers wasted a 41-point effort from Kobe Bryant.

That was part of a recent five-game homestand for the Lakers (2-3 SU, 1-4 ATS). They began a seven-game road trip last Saturday in New Orleans, a 101-95 win as five-point favorites, with the Hornets missing starters Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza.

Another win and ‘cover’ came Monday night in Memphis, 93-84 as three-point ‘chalk.’ All five starters scored in double-digits, a great sign with Derek Fisher (6.5 PPG) and Artest (8.2 PPG) non-factors offensively for much of this year. Artest’s struggles are a reason the Anthony addition is appealing.

Los Angeles is 17-8 SU on the road and 13-11-1 ATS. It’s 0-4 ATS in its last four games on two days rest and 1-10 ATS in its last 11 Thursday contests.

This is a statement game for the Lakers. Not only do they want to avoid a season-sweep by their hated rival, but they’ve come up small in big games. They’re 0-4 SU and ATS against Boston, Miami and San Antonio, the teams with the three best records. Three of those games were in Los Angeles.

The Celtics (38-13 SU, 24-25-2 ATS) are fighting hard to keep the best record in the Eastern Conference. They currently have a half-game lead over Miami (38-14 SU).

Boston is coming off a 94-89 loss at Charlotte as 4 ½-point favorites on Monday. That was the second-half of a back-to-back, where the aging team is just 3-10 ATS. The team does progressively better on more rest, 12-11 ATS on one day, 5-3-1 ATS on two days (Thursday’s situation) and 4-1 ATS on three days or more.

The Celtics got a big boost recently with Kendrick Perkins coming back sooner than expected from a torn ACL. He’s now starting and playing over 30 minutes per game. He could be the only center playing Thursday with Jermaine O’Neal (knee) out and Shaquile O’Neal (Achilles) and Semih Erden (hip) doubtful.

Backup small forward Marquis Daniels (neck) is also out indefinitely, which means more playing time for Von Wafer. Glen Davis will be the backup at power forward and center, but the older starters like Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen will also have to play more minutes.

Boston is 23-4 SU at home this year, but just 11-14-2 ATS. The ‘over’ is 9-2 in its last 11 home games.

Los Angeles went 1-2 SU and ATS in Boston during the NBA Finals last year, and is 2-6-1 ATS in the last nine games there overall. The ‘under’ is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Boston.

TNT will have the broadcast at 5 p.m. (PT) from TD Banknorth Garden. It will be followed by Dallas at Denver.

[StarDust Bum]

Pittsburgh next NHL betting stop for Kings

The Los Angeles Kings continue their season-high 10-game road excursion Thursday night (4 p.m. PT) with a stop in Pittsburgh to play a Penguins squad that has seen nine of its last 10 outings dip ‘under’ the closing total.

After dropping a 1-0 shootout decision against Minnesota to open this 10-game trip, the Kings have captured the next two contests. That includes Saturday’s 4-3 overtime victory at Calgary as slight 105 road favorites.

The win lifted the Kings’ road ledger to 12-13-0-1 and their overall record to 29-22-1-1. Despite being seven games above .500 and having a plus-21 goal differential (150-129), the Kings are sitting in the basement of the tough Pacific Division.

Though the combined seven goals against the Flames skipped ‘over’ the 5 ½-goal closing total, the ‘under’ is still 7-3 in the Kings’ last 10 road encounters and 33-19-1 overall.

Justin Williams had a goal and two assists and also scored the winning goal against the Flames. The victory not only snapped the Kings' 10-game losing streak in Calgary dating to 2005, but also moved them back into playoff position, passing Minnesota to move into eighth in the Western Conference.

Jonathan Quick stopped 32 of Calgary’s 35 shots in regulation to register his fifth straight win. He is now 24-14-1-0 with a sparkling 2.14 GAA and .921 save percentage. Quick also has five shutouts.

The hot goaltending has helped the Kings jump into seventh place defensively by allowing an average of 2.4 goals per game. The Kings are yielding an average of just 27.6 shots on goal per game, which is second fewest in the league.

Pittsburgh lost its second straight game Tuesday by dropping a 4-1 decision to Columbus as a 155 home favorite. Though the setback lowered the Penguins’ ledger at Consol Energy Center to 19-10-1-0, they are still a sizzling 16-5 in their last 21 home dates.

The combined five goals slithered below the NHL odds, leaving the ‘under’ 9-1 in the Penguins’ last 10 outings and 34-19-2 overall.

Pittsburgh’s offense continues to suffer without the injured Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby isn’t expected back until March while he recovers from a concussion. Malkin will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

To make matters worse, left winger Chris Kunitz has a lower body injury and did not play in Tuesday’s loss. He is listed as “questionable” on the Don Best Sports injury report.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 21 of Columbus’ 25 shots in a losing effort to see his record slip to 25-13-1-1. He still has a stellar 2.24 GAA, a .922 save percentage and two shutouts.

The nifty netminding has helped Pittsburgh rank second on defense by allowing just 2.3 goals per game. The Penguins are tops in the league by killing 89.7 percent of the opposition’s power play opportunities.

That statistic becomes even more impressive considering the Penguins have amassed a league-leading 922 penalty minutes.

Though Pittsburgh’s lone goal in Tuesday’s loss did occur on the power play, the team is still a meager 4-for-27 with the man advantage in its last 10 games. The scoring slump has dropped the Penguins into 14th place on the power play with a 17.8 percent success rate.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the Kings and Penguins, with the Kings holding an 8-3-1 edge in the last 12 series matchups.

Pittsburgh embarks on a four-game road trip Friday with a stop in New York to play the Islanders. Los Angeles continues its 10-game road swing Saturday against the Washington Capitals.

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Thursday's Bubble Watch

February 9, 2011


The last full month of conference play for some teams is just a matter of not getting banged up before their tourneys begin. For other programs, this is their last chance to enhance their resumes for the selection committee. We’ve got two early games on Thursday that have three teams looking to give themselves a much needed win.

Florida State at Georgia Tech – 7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN

Florida State (16-7 straight up, 9-8-1 against the spread) finds itself sitting on the bubble by its own doing.

They’ve had the quality losses that the committee loves early in the year against the Gators and Buckeyes in Tallahassee. The Seminoles even have the honor of handing Duke its first loss of the season. But getting beaten by Auburn as 13 ½-point favorites has a habit of destroying memories of previous efforts. Plus, FSU is coming off of a 89-69 drubbing against the Tar Heels as a seven-point road pup last Sunday.

The ‘Noles didn’t show up with their typical defense against North Carolina, letting them shoot 56 percent from the field. And Florida State didn’t help itself by going practically dead from beyond the arch with just 4-of-21 shooting against the Heels.

FSU can’t afford to have that kind of letdown this Thursday against the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech (10-12 SU, 8-9 ATS) comes into this contest with only a chance to play the spoiler. That tends to happen when you’re riding a three-game losing streak.

The Jackets won the turnover battle in their game against Clemson (20-18), but shot just 41 percent from the field in a 65-56 loss as two-point home ‘dogs last Saturday. Georgia Tech failed in the game mainly because they have no presence inside. With no post guys, the Yellow Jackets are resigned to taking jumpers. You can figure that much out because of the fact that they are 280th in the nation with a 41.3 field goal percentage.

Florida State holds a distinct edge in this head-to-head matchup, going on a 5-0 SU run. Yet the Yellow Jackets are 3-2 ATS in that span.

The Seminoles are 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five road games this season. Georgia Tech is 3-2 SU and ATS at home in ACC play with the ‘under’ going 5-0 in those tests.

Penn State at Michigan State – 7:00 p.m. EST, Big Ten Network

If you’re looking for a game that almost acts like an elimination game in the middle of the regular season, then this is the one.

The fact that Penn State (12-10 SU, 9-9 ATS) still is considered a fringe bubble team is nothing short of miraculous. This is a team that found ways to lose to Ole Miss, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Maine of all teams.

So how do they still have a chance? The Nittany Lions picked up wins against ranked teams like the Spartans and Illini. They followed those up with a three-point loss to Ohio State and a one-point setback against Purdue.

PSU has taken a couple steps back recently as they’re on a two-game slide. The most recent loss coming in a 65-62 battle against the Wolverines as a five-point home “chalk” on Super Sunday. That loss was particularly painful since the Nittany Lions held a double-digit lead twice in the game. Look no further than Jeff Brooks being out for this contest with a dislocated shoulder. Brooks leads the team with 7.2 rebounds per game.

Michigan State (13-10 SU, 6-15 ATS) will be happy about Brooks not being in the lineup after he had 12 rebounds against them in a 66-62 loss in Happy Valley as a six-point road favorite. Outside of that absence, the Spartans are in full-on crisis mode. Horrendous road losses at Iowa (-5, 72-52) and Wisconsin (+8 ½, 82-56) make Thursday’s game a must-win situation for Tom Izzo’s crew.

The lack of senior leadership has been disheartening for the Spartans as they continue to slide. Kalin Lucas is putting up points in his last four games for Sparty (22.5 PPG). Durrell Summers, on the other hand, is on a milk carton after scoring a combined 13 points in Michigan State’s last two games.

A win in East Lansing would go a long way for MSU, but Penn State knows that they can win in this hostile environment. The Nittany Lions have a 72-68 win as 12 ½-point road pups back in 2009. Bettors have enjoyed taking Penn State against Sparty since they’re 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS in its last four head-to-head meetings.

Michigan State is 4-2 SU, but just 1-5 ATS in its last six home dates this season. The ‘under’ is 4-2 in those games. Penn State

Penn State is on an 0-4 SU slide in road games in the Big Ten. However, they have covered the spread in two of its last three decisions. The ‘under’ is on a 2-0 run as well.

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Thursday Tips

February 9, 2011


Three games grace the NBA card on Thursday night, which includes five Western Conference teams being showcased. The Nuggets and Mavericks each play the second end of a back-to-back in the late game at the Pepsi Center, while the Suns and Warriors look to light things up in the Valley. We begin in Beantown with a rematch of last season's NBA Finals, and the greatest rivalry in NBA history.

Lakers at Celtics - 8:00 PM EST

Boston picked up a smidgen of revenge on Los Angeles after last June's Finals defeat to the Lakers with a 109-96 victory on January 30 at Staples Center. The Lakers continue a seven-game road trip following wins in their first two games at New Orleans and Memphis, while the Celtics try to rebound from Monday's setback at Charlotte.

In their earlier meeting, the Celtics outscored the Lakers, 59-42 in the second half to easily cash as three-point underdogs. Los Angeles native Paul Pierce torched the Lakers for 32 points, while Ray Allen chipped in 21 points. The C's shot 60% from the floor, as Boston cleaned up on the boards by outrebounding Los Angeles, 43-30. Kobe Bryant was the only Laker to show up offensively by tying a season-high with 41 points, but it was not nearly enough despite a season-best 16 field goals made.

The Celtics are rolling through a tough home stretch after playing Dallas and Orlando, while hosting the Lakers on Thursday and the Heat on Sunday afternoon. Boston has been off since Monday's loss in Charlotte, as the Celtics couldn't hold a lead while failing to cash as 4 ½-point road 'chalk.' The Celtics enter Thursday's contest with a 23-4 SU mark at TD Garden, but they have covered just 11 of 27 games on the new parquet.

These two rivals have been polar opposites with at least two days of rest this season. The Lakers own a dismal 2-6 ATS and 3-5 SU mark in this rest scenario, while the Celtics have compiled an 8-3-2 ATS and 11-2 SU ledger with two or more days off. This will be only the second instance all season in which the Lakers are listed as a road underdog, as Phil Jackson's club lost at San Antonio on December 28 as 3 ½-point 'dogs, 97-82.

Warriors at Suns - 9:00 PM EST

Golden State's season-long eight-game homestand came to a close on Wednesday night against Denver as the Warriors make the trip to Phoenix to battle the Suns. This will be the second meeting in four nights between the Pacific Division rivals with Phoenix looking to capitalize off of Monday's 104-92 victory at Oracle Arena as five-point 'dogs.

Phoenix has won eight of the last nine meetings with Golden State dating back to February 2009, including the 12-point triumph on Monday. In that win, the Suns drilled 13 three-pointers, while limiting the Warriors to just 43% shooting from the field. Something very uncharacteristic happening to Golden State as Keith Smart's squad was held to 17 points in two separate quarters, resulting in a fourth straight 'under' for the Warriors.

With a win on Thursday, the Suns climb back to the .500 mark for the first time since December 19 when Phoenix owned a 13-13 record. The Suns are a dreadful 1-7 ATS this season as a favorite against teams with no rest, as the lone victory came over the Hornets as 1 ½-point favorites on January 30. The key for Phoenix is finding consistency since the acquisition of Vince Carter, as the Suns are 4-1 SU/ATS since a three-game skid.

The Warriors haven't left the state of California since a comeback victory at New Orleans on January 5. The only two road contests in this stretch came at Staples Center against the Clippers as Golden State lost each time to its division rivals to the South. Golden State is a profitable 11-9-1 ATS as a road underdog, including an 8-2 ATS record in the last 10 games when receiving single-digits on the highway.

Mavericks at Nuggets - 10:30 PM EST

Three weeks removed from being the coldest team in the Western Conference, the Mavs have rebounded nicely with nine consecutive victories. Dallas has helped out backers with covers in six of the last nine games, as the Mavs play the second of a back-to-back in Denver against the unrested Nuggets.

The Carmelo Anthony trade rumors are still hanging over the head of this franchise on whether or not the Nuggets' star will be dealt before the February 24 deadline. Since a four-game winning streak in late January, the Nuggets have been cold recently with 2-4 SU/ATS mark the previous six games. Denver's offense has put up at last 100 points in eight of the last 10 games, resulting in seven 'overs.'

Dallas put together an impressive road trip prior to their close-shave victory over hapless Cleveland. Rick Carlisle's club knocked off the Knicks, Celtics, and Bobcats in succession, while holding each of their last six opponents to 97 points or less. The Mavs look to continue the trend of road teams dominating this series with both Denver and Dallas winning on the other team's court this season.

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Sorry guys.....running late so here is the 7pm and 730pm games..will post the rest in a bit....

NHL

Thursday, February 10Game Score Status Pick Amount

New Jersey - 7:00 PM ET Toronto -107 500
Toronto - Over 5.5 500

Carolina - 7:00 PM ET Carolina +180 500
Philadelphia - Under 5.5 500

Los Angeles - 7:00 PM ET Pittsburgh +107 500
Pittsburgh - Over 5 500

NY Islanders - 7:30 PM ET NY Islanders +173 500
Montreal - Over 5.5 500

Buffalo - 7:30 PM ET Buffalo +100 500
Florida - Under 5.5 500


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NCAAB

Thursday, February 10Game Score Status Pick Amount

Florida St. - 7:00 PM ET Florida St. -1 500
Georgia Tech - Under 130.5 500

Louisiana-Lafayette - 7:00 PM ET Florida International -2 500
Florida International - Over 155 500

Georgia Southern - 7:00 PM ET Georgia Southern +20 500
Furman - Over 135.5 500

Samford - 7:00 PM ET Samford +7.5 500
Appalachian St. - Over 130 500

Connecticut - 7:00 PM ET St. John's +1.5 500
St. John's - Over 132.5 500

Wright St. - 7:00 PM ET Butler -8.5 500
Butler - Over 129.5 500

Penn St. - 7:00 PM ET Penn St. +6 500
Michigan St - Over 128 500

SE Missouri St. - 7:30 PM ET Eastern Kentucky -12.5 500
Eastern Kentucky - Over 133.5 500

Eastern Illinois - 7:45 PM ET Morehead St. -15.5 500
Morehead St. - Under 121.5 500

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NBA

Thursday, February 10Game Score Status Pick Amount

L.A. Lakers - 8:00 PM ET L.A. Lakers +2.5 500
Boston - Under 187.5 500

Golden State - 9:00 PM ET Phoenix -6.5 500
Phoenix - Over 218 500

Dallas - 10:30 PM ET Dallas +3 500
Denver - Over 210 500



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Wis.-Green Bay - 8:00 PM ET Wis.-Green Bay -2.5 500
Illinois-Chicago - Over 133.5 500

Wis.-Milwaukee - 8:00 PM ET Wis.-Milwaukee +3 500
Loyola-Chicago - Over 136.5 500

Middle Tennessee St. - 8:00 PM ET Western Kentucky -5 500
Western Kentucky - Under 139 500

Indiana - Purdue - 8:00 PM ET South Dakota State -4.5 500
South Dakota State - Over 148 500

Western Illinois - 8:00 PM ET North Dakota State -14.5 500
North Dakota State - Under 133 500

Oral Roberts - 8:05 PM ET Oral Roberts -3.5 500
UMKC - Over 138.5 500

Detroit - 8:05 PM ET Valparaiso -7.5 500
Valparaiso - Under 143 500

Troy - 8:05 PM ET Troy +5 500
South Alabama - Over 154 500

Tennessee Tech - 8:30 PM ET Tennessee Tech +12.5 500
Murray St. - Over 142 500
Jackson
Jacksonville St. - 8:30 PM ET Jacksonville St. +1 500
Tenn-Martin - Under 129.5 500

Arkansas St. - 8:30 PM ET Arkansas St. -4 500
Louisiana-Monroe - Over 128 500

Florida Atlantic - 9:00 PM ET Florida Atlantic +2 500
Denver - Under 120 500

Illinois - 9:00 PM ET Minnesota -2 500
Minnesota - Over 135.5 500

Sacramento State - 9:00 PM ET Sacramento State +16 500
Montana - Over 127 500

Alabama - 9:00 PM ET Vanderbilt -6.5 500 ( SEC POD )
Vanderbilt - Over 134 500

Centenary - 9:00 PM ET Centenary +16.5 500
Southern Utah - Over 144 500

California - 9:00 PM ET Washington -13.5 500
Washington - Over 155.5 500

Northern Arizona - 9:00 PM ET Weber St. -1 500
Weber St. - Under 138 500

Northern Colorado - 9:05 PM ET Northern Colorado -1 500
Montana St. - Over 135.5 500

Fresno St. - 9:05 PM ET Fresno St. +7.5 500
Boise St. - Over 136.5 500

Stanford - 10:00 PM ET Washington St. -8.5 500
Washington St. - Under 129.5 500

Long Beach St. - 10:00 PM ET Long Beach St. -4 500
UC Davis - Over 145 500

Portland - 10:00 PM ET Portland -4 500
Pepperdine - Under 140.5 500

UC Santa Barbara - 10:00 PM ET UC Riverside +4 500
UC Riverside - Over 135 500

Cal Poly SLO - 10:00 PM ET UC Irvine -2.5 500
UC Irvine - Under 132.5 500

Idaho State - 10:05 PM ET Idaho State +5.5 500
Portland St. - Over 139 500

CSU Northridge - 10:05 PM ET Cal St. Fullerton -3.5 500
Cal St. Fullerton - Under 148.5 500

San Diego - 10:30 PM ET San Francisco -11.5 500
San Francisco - Over 129.5 500

Oregon - 10:30 PM ET Oregon +8.5 500
UCLA - Over 137 500

St. Mary's - 11:00 PM ET Santa Clara +6 500
Santa Clara - Over 146 500

Oregon St. - 11:00 PM ET Oregon St. +11 500
Southern California - Over 128.5 500

Gonzaga - 11:00 PM ET Loyola Marymount +8 500
Loyola Marymount - Under 144 500

[StarDust Bum]

Injury-riddled Celtics host Lakers Thursday


LOS ANGELES LAKERS (36-16)

at BOSTON CELTICS (38-13)


Tip-off: Thursday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Boston -2.5, Total: 187

The Lakers come into the TD Garden Thursday night looking to avenge their Jan. 30 loss to their old rival, the Boston Celtics.

The Lakers put together two nice road wins, winning Saturday at New Orleans 101-95, and at Memphis 93-84 on Monday. The Lakers have played well on the road this year going 17-8 SU (13-12 ATS). With veterans such as Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest and Derek Fisher, playing on the road does not faze this experienced unit. Kobe Bryant (25.4 PPG) is certainly looking forward to Thursday’s rematch after dropping 41 points on Boston Jan. 30 and has averaged 29.7 PPG in his past 15 games against the C’s. The Lakers also need their young center Andrew Bynum (11.3 PPG), to be a defensive presence against the stacked frontcourt of Boston.

The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics are 23-4 SU at home this year and would love to improve on that mark against their rival. Boston is banged up and will have to play without veterans Shaquille O’Neal (Achilles), Jermaine O’Neal (knee) and Delonte West (wrist). Paul Pierce missed Wednesdays’ practice due to an illness, but he is expected to play Thursday. The Celtics still have their core and balanced attack ready to go with Pierce (19.0 PPG), Ray Allen (17.5 PPG), Kevin Garnett (14.9 PPG), and Rajon Rondo (10.9 PPG, 12.4 APG). Allen only needs two 3-pointers to break Reggie Miller’s career record of 2,560 threes. Allen had a nice game Monday in a 94-89 loss at Charlotte, dropping 25 points, but has had no recent success against the Lakers, averaging 8.3 PPG on 11-of-44 shooting in the past four home games against Los Angeles.

Even though the Celtics are 23-4 SU at home this year, against the spread they are only 10-14. Both the Lakers and Celtics are in a rare situation where the Lakers have only been underdogs once this year (-3.5 at San Antonio) and Boston has only been a home favorite by 3 or less once (-2.5 vs. San Antonio) with both teams losing those matchups. Including the playoffs, the Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their past five meetings with the Lakers. The few days off might throw off Los Angeles, who is 2-7 ATS on 2+ days rest and also the Lakers are only 9-11 ATS against Eastern Conference teams. I’m confident the prideful Celtics will be ready to play after the embarrassing loss to Charlotte on Monday. Boston, which is 22-15 ATS (60%) versus L.A. since 1996, should win and cover Thursday night against the rival Lakers.

This FoxSheets trend also likes the Celtics to win and cover on Thursday.

Play On - Home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (BOSTON) - off a upset loss as a favorite, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%). (47-18 since 1996.) (72.3%, +27.2 units. Rating = 3*).

The FoxSheets also side with the Over for this contest.

BOSTON is 13-3 OVER (81.3%, +9.7 Units) in home games after a game where they failed to cover the spread this season. The average score was BOSTON 104.1, OPPONENT 95.6 - (Rating = 2*).

[StarDust Bum]

Mavericks look for 11th straight win visiting Denver


DALLAS MAVERICKS (37-15)

at DENVER NUGGETS (30-23)


Tip-off: Thursday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Denver -3, Total: 210.5


The Dallas Mavericks travel to Denver on Thursday to take on the Nuggets. This is the third meeting between these teams this season, as they split the first two matchups.

Denver has done poorly ATS this season posting a 24-27 record. While they have a 21-7 record at home SU (they have lost two straight), that number falls to 12-14 ATS. They have lost their last two ATS at home after winning six of their previous seven and going 8-2-1 in their previous 11. Despite the constant barrage of trade rumors, Carmelo Anthony is red-hot entering Thursday’s game. Since scoring 12 points in a loss at Philadelphia, Anthony has averaged 29.1 PPG over his past seven games, which includes reaching the 50-point mark in a loss against the Rockets on Monday. In the Nuggets’ last meeting against the Mavericks in Dallas on November 6, Anthony burned the Mavs for 27 points in a 103-92 Nuggets win. Anthony had averaged just 16.3 PPG on 34.3 percent shooting in losing three of their previous four meetings against Dallas. After sitting out the loss at home against Houston, Nene returned to the lineup against the Warriors on Wednesday and scored 17 points. He is averaging 19.8 PPG and making 72.1 percent of his shots over his past four games. Chauncey Billups (16.2 PPG, 5.3 APG) missed Wednesday’s game with a knee injury, but he is expected to return to face the Mavs.

Dallas enters Thursday on a 10-game winning streak the longest current streak in the NBA. The Mavs are 27-23 ATS this season, which includes a 15-9 mark ATS on the road. After winning five straight ATS, Dallas has lost is past two. After scoring over 20 points in four straight games, Dirk Nowitzki has averaged just 11.0 PPG in his past two games. He injured his wrist in the first half against the Kings on Wednesday, which had a lot to do with his 4-for-14 performance from the field. Nowitzki is averaging 30.7 PPG in his past three games against Denver. He scored 35 points and grabbed 12 boards in the Mavs last visit to the Mile High City, a 102-101 win on November 3. Jose Juan Barea scored 20 points against Sacramento and is averaging 15.4 PPG on 9-of-17 shooting from three-point range over his past five games.

The Mavericks are on a roll and despite the heroics of Anthony of late, Denver has still lost five of its past seven games. The Nuggets have not lost three straight at home since Dec. 31, 2006-Jan. 6, 2007, but all streaks come to an end. I’m taking Dallas. The FoxSheets provide two more reasons siding with the Mavericks as the play:

DALLAS is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season. The average score was DALLAS 99.2, OPPONENT 95.1 - (Rating = 2*).

DENVER is 0-10 ATS (-11.0 Units) after a close loss by 3 points or less over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DENVER 105.8, OPPONENT 107.6 - (Rating = 3*).

The FoxSheets also envision a relatively low-scoring affair, finishing Under the total.

Play Under - All teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 (DALLAS) - revenging a straight up loss vs opponent as a home favorite, good team, winning 60-75% or more of their games on the season. (91-45 over the last 5 seasons.) (66.9%, +41.5 units. Rating = 3*).

[StarDust Bum]

Alabama goes for 6th straight win visiting Vandy


ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (15-7, 7-1 in SEC)

at VANDERBILT COMMODORES (16-6, 4-4 in SEC)


Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Vanderbilt -6.5, Total: 132

Alabama looks to extend its SEC winning streak to six games when it visits No. 23 Vanderbilt on Thursday night.

The Crimson Tide have won 10 of their past 11 contests and are coming off a 65-60 overtime victory at Tennessee on Saturday. Alabama hasn't won six consecutive league games since January 2005, but it has a chance to do so on Thursday thanks to a stellar defense. The Tide are surrendering only 57.1 PPG, which ranks as the third-stingiest defense in the nation. In the past 11 games, they've allowed only three teams to surpass the 60-point mark in regulation. Alabama is led by JaMychal Green (15.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.1 BPG), who has scored in double figures in 18 of the 19 games he's played in this season. Green is shooting 50.7% from the floor, but has hit only 7-of-23 field goals (30.4%) in his past two games versus Mississippi State and Tennessee. But he's averaged a double-double -- 10.7 points and 10.0 rebounds -- in three career matchups with Vandy. Tony Mitchell (15.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 53.7%) is the only other ‘Bama player who scores in double digits, and he had a career-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting at Tennessee. He is averaging 23.5 PPG on 18-of-31 shooting (58.0%) in his past two games. The Crimson Tide are 1-1 against teams that were ranked at the time they played them. They lost to Purdue, 66-47, and defeated Kentucky, 68-66.

Vanderbilt beat South Carolina, 78-60, on Saturday to end a two-game losing skid. With the victory, the Commodores improved to 12-1 at home this season. They rank 25th in the nation in scoring with an SEC-best 77.9 PPG, and in their 13 home games, they're averaging 82.8 PPG, and shooting 49.2% from the floor. John Jenkins (40.9% three-pointers, 90.4% free throws) scored a game-high 18 points versus the Gamecocks and is leading the SEC with 19.2 PPG. He's also been on a hot streak from long range, connecting on 27-of-58 three-pointers (46.6%) in the past nine games and has hit double-figures in all 21 games he's played in. Jeffery Taylor (14.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 37.7% three-pointers) rebounded from a subpar outing in the previous game against Florida (seven points on 2-of-12 shooting) with 17 points, eight boards and a career-high four three-pointers against South Carolina. Festus Ezeli (12.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.3 BPG) chipped in with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Vanderbilt has won 10 straight versus Alabama in Nashville, and is 5-1 ATS in the past six home meetings. The Crimson Tide's last triumph at Memorial Gym came on Feb. 3, 1990. ‘Bama leads the all-time series between the two schools, 66-63. In the team's last meeting last season, Vanderbilt won at Alabama, 65-64. Expect the Commodores to extend their home dominance versus the Crimson Tide on Thursday. These two FoxSheets trends like Vanderbilt to win and cover the spread.

Play On - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (VANDERBILT) - after a cover as a double-digit favorite, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 80%). (60-30 over the last 5 seasons.) (66.7%, +27 units. Rating = 2*).

ALABAMA is 8-23 ATS (25.8%, -17.3 Units) after 5 or more consecutive wins since 1997. The average score was ALABAMA 70.6, OPPONENT 65.5 - (Rating = 2*).

This FoxSheets also expect the game to finish Over the total.

VANDERBILT is 17-6 OVER (73.9%, +10.4 Units) versus good shooting teams - making >=45% of their shots over the last 2 seasons. The average score was VANDERBILT 78.5, OPPONENT 72.5 - (Rating = 2*).

[StarDust Bum]

Minnesota hosts Illinois in matchup of struggling Big Ten teams

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (15-8, 5-5 in Big Ten)

at MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (16-7, 5-6 in Big Ten)


Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Minnesota -1, Total: 136

Two losing streaks, two teams, going in one very wrong direction at the worst time of the season. As the Minnesota Golden Gophers enter play Thursday night, Tubby Smith’s squad will be looking to slam the brakes on a three-game losing streak that, if extended, threatens to drop them out of the Top 25 (in Coaches Poll) and plunge them two games below .500 in the difficult-to-recover Big Ten. Bruce Weber’s Fighting Illini have lost five out of its past seven overall, including four straight on the road, and have already fallen out of the Top 25 in both polls. If desperation were like electricity, these two teams could generate enough power to light the state of Minnesota. Thursday night in Williams Arena, they’ll try to light up each other, as they each attempt to secure a much-needed win.

The Gophers are coming off a physical 82-69 loss Sunday to the undefeated, number one-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Jared “Big Sully” Sullinger poured in 18 points and hauled down 13 boards in the win. While Sullinger had his way with the Gopher big men inside, it is the absence of senior point guard Al Nolen with a broken foot that parallels Minnesota’s untimely February slide. Nolen’s injury has forced guard Blake Hoffarber to play out of position, where he struggled on Sunday, committing four turnovers to go with three assists and 16 points. Hoffarber ended the game with a sore left knee, but Smith expects his leading scorer to be cleared to play against the Illini. Nolen’s absence aside, the Gophers big men have failed to perform adequately in the paint, and Sunday was no exception. Smith praised the performance of freshmen Chip Armelin and Maverick Ahanmisi, but junior forwards Colton Iverson, Ralph Sampson III and Trevor Mbakwe combined for 12 turnovers in-and-around the paint. Iverson didn't score and had four fouls in 14 minutes. "If our post men are going to turn the ball over 12 times, and that's where our strength was, I don't know what to do," Smith said. Second leading scorer Mbakwe (13.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG) has failed to reach double figures in scoring the past two games.

Winning the tight ones has been a problem of late for the Illini. Among Illinois’ past five losses, three have come by three points or less, and the home defeat to Ohio State on Jan. 22 was by only five points. Against Northwestern Saturday, Illinois’ top two rebounders, Mike Tisdale (6.8 RPG) and Mike Davis (6.7 RPG) were a combined 5-of-15 shooting with just nine rebounds. Top scorer Demetri McCamey (14.3 PPG, 6.7 APG) is mired in a horrible offensive slump, averaging just 9.2 PPG on 14-of-48 shooting (29.2%) in his past five games. Coach Weber will need some much-improved efforts from his trio of seniors McCamey, Tisdale and Davis if the Illini are to break the four-game road losing streak and slow down this late-season spiral. With two games left on their schedule against Purdue, and contests at Ohio State and at Michigan State still to come, the road ahead is looking treacherous for an Illini squad (15-8, 5-5) that were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament last year despite a 10-8 conference record.

Although Minnesota is just 4-9 ATS at home this year, the Gophers are 11-2 SU and holding those opponents to 39.4% FG. Illinois has been bad in non-home games (4-7 ATS), shooting a mere 42.5% FG. The Illini are 8-2 SU in their past 10 trips to Minneapolis, but only 6-4 ATS. The FoxSheets provide two coaching trends supporting Minnesota to win on its home floor.

Tubby Smith is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more as the coach of MINNESOTA. The average score was MINNESOTA 71.1, OPPONENT 51.4 - (Rating = 2*).

Tubby Smith is 23-8 ATS (74.2%, +14.2 Units) in a home game where the total is 135 to 139.5 in all games he has coached since 1997. The average score was Smith 74.8, OPPONENT 59.8 - (Rating = 2*).

[StarDust Bum]

No. 10 UConn is 1-point favorite at St. John's


CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (18-4, 6-4 in Big East)

at ST. JOHN’S RED STORM (13-9, 5-5 in Big East)


Tip-off: Thursday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Connecticut -1, Total: 132.5

If the Garden is rocking, UConn and St. John’s must be knocking. When Connecticut and St. John’s square off in Madison Square Garden Thursday night, it will be a matchup of two teams with aspirations of re-living past glories, such as when they met in back-to-back Big East Championship games at the end of the last millennium, and the beginning of this one. In those days the building on Seventh Avenue thundered when the two schools would meet, packed to capacity, feeling and sounding like it was split 50/50 for each. Unlike the Huskies, the Red Storm fell on difficult times after winning the Big East title in 2000. Now nine years removed from its last NCAA Tournament appearance, and 11 years removed from its last tournament win, Steve Lavin has his squad positioned to return to the big dance. While they are in good shape with a 22 RPI ranking, and the #1 SOS in the country, the Johnnies are still 13-9 overall, and can ill afford many stumbles down the stretch. Thursday they get a golden opportunity for another quality win against Jim Calhoun’s 10th-ranked Huskies.

Connecticut is coming off of a scare last Saturday in Newark when they narrowly got by Seton Hall at the Prudential Center 61-59. The Huskies had to come from 10 points down in the final eight minutes to pull off the win, thanks to a 15-3 run to end the game. "This young group is taking me on some ways a great roller coaster ride, at least it was great tonight," Calhoun said. "That ranks with anything we've done this season."

The Huskies survived despite another difficult shooting night from its star guard Kemba Walker. Walker (23.2 PPG) struggled through a 7-for-19 shooting night from the floor, and over his past six games (five of which were played in conference) Walker is shooting 31.8% from the floor, while averaging 16.8 PPG, nearly seven below his average. Fortunately for Calhoun, while one upperclassman has struggled, a freshman has stepped up to strengthen the team’s offensive attack. Jeremy Lamb has averaged 17.8 PPG during Walker’s six-game shooting slump, more than doubling his 7.2 PPG output from the first 16 games of the season. Walker is hoping that he can break from history and produce a good shooting night in Big East play. He especially hopes that he can produce a better shooting performance than he did the last time these teams met in the Garden, last March in the first round of the Big East Tournament, when he shot a miserable 4-for-17, as Connecticut was destroyed by the Red Storm 73-51.

St. John’s is coming off of a 66-59 defeat last Saturday to UCLA in southern California in a game that marked Steve Lavin’s return to the school that he coached for six seasons. The Johnnies were led by senior top scorer Dwight Hardy (15.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG) who poured in a career-high 32 points. Unfortunately he was the only player in double figures for the visitors. If Lavin needed a reminder he was playing a road game against the Bruins, he needed to look no further than the FT stat line, where UCLA made 41 trips to the charity stripe, compared to seven for St. John’s. The Red Storm were also outrebounded 40-28, and their minus-4.4 RPG differential since January 1 is among the worst in the nation. Connecticut, on the other hand, averages 41.2 RPG, outrebounding opponents by 5.1 RPG. Holding their own on the glass will be key if the Red Storm are to have a chance of making Connecticut the fourth Top-15 victim this season to lose to St. John’s in the Garden, joining Duke, Notre Dame and Georgetown.

The Red Storm are 12-9 ATS versus UConn since 1997, including 6-4 ATS in 10 home games in the series. They have held their opponents to 63.2 PPG on 42.6% FG in their 11 home games this season. The Huskies are currently on a three-game ATS losing skid. The FoxSheets give two more reasons to expect St. John’s to win on its home floor.

Jim Calhoun is 36-51 ATS (41.4%, -20.1 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less as the coach of CONNECTICUT. The average score was CONNECTICUT 72.1, OPPONENT 68.0 - (Rating = 1*).

ST. JOHN’S is 13-4 ATS (76.5%, +8.6 Units) after a game - where they attempted 20+ more shots than opponent since 1997. The average score was ST. JOHN’S 72.9, OPPONENT 65.0 - (Rating = 0*).

Seven of the past eight UConn games, and four of the past five St. John’s games have all finished Under the total. These two FoxSheets trends also think the Under will occur in Thursday’s game.

CONNECTICUT is 17-6 UNDER (73.9%, +10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CONNECTICUT 67.2, OPPONENT 68.1 - (Rating = 2*).

ST. JOHN’S is 12-3 UNDER (80.0%, +8.7 Units) after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ST. JOHN’S 65.5, OPPONENT 63.3 - (Rating = 2*).

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday Tips

February 9, 2011

Three games grace the NBA card on Thursday night, which includes five Western Conference teams being showcased. The Nuggets and Mavericks each play the second end of a back-to-back in the late game at the Pepsi Center, while the Suns and Warriors look to light things up in the Valley. We begin in Beantown with a rematch of last season's NBA Finals, and the greatest rivalry in NBA history.

Lakers at Celtics - 8:00 PM EST

Boston picked up a smidgen of revenge on Los Angeles after last June's Finals defeat to the Lakers with a 109-96 victory on January 30 at Staples Center. The Lakers continue a seven-game road trip following wins in their first two games at New Orleans and Memphis, while the Celtics try to rebound from Monday's setback at Charlotte.

In their earlier meeting, the Celtics outscored the Lakers, 59-42 in the second half to easily cash as three-point underdogs. Los Angeles native Paul Pierce torched the Lakers for 32 points, while Ray Allen chipped in 21 points. The C's shot 60% from the floor, as Boston cleaned up on the boards by outrebounding Los Angeles, 43-30. Kobe Bryant was the only Laker to show up offensively by tying a season-high with 41 points, but it was not nearly enough despite a season-best 16 field goals made.

The Celtics are rolling through a tough home stretch after playing Dallas and Orlando, while hosting the Lakers on Thursday and the Heat on Sunday afternoon. Boston has been off since Monday's loss in Charlotte, as the Celtics couldn't hold a lead while failing to cash as 4 ½-point road 'chalk.' The Celtics enter Thursday's contest with a 23-4 SU mark at TD Garden, but they have covered just 11 of 27 games on the new parquet.

These two rivals have been polar opposites with at least two days of rest this season. The Lakers own a dismal 2-6 ATS and 3-5 SU mark in this rest scenario, while the Celtics have compiled an 8-3-2 ATS and 11-2 SU ledger with two or more days off. This will be only the second instance all season in which the Lakers are listed as a road underdog, as Phil Jackson's club lost at San Antonio on December 28 as 3 ½-point 'dogs, 97-82.

Warriors at Suns - 9:00 PM EST

Golden State's season-long eight-game homestand came to a close on Wednesday night against Denver as the Warriors make the trip to Phoenix to battle the Suns. This will be the second meeting in four nights between the Pacific Division rivals with Phoenix looking to capitalize off of Monday's 104-92 victory at Oracle Arena as five-point 'dogs.

Phoenix has won eight of the last nine meetings with Golden State dating back to February 2009, including the 12-point triumph on Monday. In that win, the Suns drilled 13 three-pointers, while limiting the Warriors to just 43% shooting from the field. Something very uncharacteristic happening to Golden State as Keith Smart's squad was held to 17 points in two separate quarters, resulting in a fourth straight 'under' for the Warriors.

With a win on Thursday, the Suns climb back to the .500 mark for the first time since December 19 when Phoenix owned a 13-13 record. The Suns are a dreadful 1-7 ATS this season as a favorite against teams with no rest, as the lone victory came over the Hornets as 1 ½-point favorites on January 30. The key for Phoenix is finding consistency since the acquisition of Vince Carter, as the Suns are 4-1 SU/ATS since a three-game skid.

The Warriors haven't left the state of California since a comeback victory at New Orleans on January 5. The only two road contests in this stretch came at Staples Center against the Clippers as Golden State lost each time to its division rivals to the South. Golden State is a profitable 11-9-1 ATS as a road underdog, including an 8-2 ATS record in the last 10 games when receiving single-digits on the highway.

Mavericks at Nuggets - 10:30 PM EST

Three weeks removed from being the coldest team in the Western Conference, the Mavs have rebounded nicely with nine consecutive victories. Dallas has helped out backers with covers in six of the last nine games, as the Mavs play the second of a back-to-back in Denver against the unrested Nuggets.

The Carmelo Anthony trade rumors are still hanging over the head of this franchise on whether or not the Nuggets' star will be dealt before the February 24 deadline. Since a four-game winning streak in late January, the Nuggets have been cold recently with 2-4 SU/ATS mark the previous six games. Denver's offense has put up at last 100 points in eight of the last 10 games, resulting in seven 'overs.'

Dallas put together an impressive road trip prior to their close-shave victory over hapless Cleveland. Rick Carlisle's club knocked off the Knicks, Celtics, and Bobcats in succession, while holding each of their last six opponents to 97 points or less. The Mavs look to continue the trend of road teams dominating this series with both Denver and Dallas winning on the other team's court this season.