Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 2/10 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

[Udog]

NHL
Long Sheet


Thursday, February 10

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LOS ANGELES (29-22-0-2, 60 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (34-17-0-4, 72 pts.) - 2/10/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOS ANGELES is 22-9 ATS (+11.5 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 52-72 ATS (-27.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less since 1996.
PITTSBURGH is 11-17 ATS (-18.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 1-1-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

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CAROLINA (26-21-0-7, 59 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (35-13-0-5, 75 pts.) - 2/10/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 35-18 ATS (+58.1 Units) in all games this season.
CAROLINA is 31-26 ATS (+63.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 190-187 ATS (-177.0 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 9-1 (+7.5 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 9-1-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.9 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

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NEW JERSEY (20-30-0-4, 44 pts.) at TORONTO (23-26-0-5, 51 pts.) - 2/10/2011, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 20-34 ATS (+55.2 Units) in all games this season.
NEW JERSEY is 8-14 ATS (-8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
TORONTO is 53-83 ATS (+138.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 8-14 ATS (+23.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 this season.
TORONTO is 86-106 ATS (-83.0 Units) in home games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
TORONTO is 27-42 ATS (+75.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 7-3 (+6.6 Units) against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-3-0 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.8 Units)

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NY ISLANDERS (17-29-0-7, 41 pts.) at MONTREAL (30-20-0-5, 65 pts.) - 2/10/2011, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 7-4-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.6 Units)

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BUFFALO (25-22-0-5, 55 pts.) at FLORIDA (23-24-0-6, 52 pts.) - 2/10/2011, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BUFFALO is 29-39 ATS (-19.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 119-138 ATS (+274.4 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
FLORIDA is 5-12 ATS (-9.5 Units) in home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 240-274 ATS (+553.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
FLORIDA is 117-146 ATS (-60.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BUFFALO is 6-4-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.9 Units)

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[Udog]

NBA
Short Sheet


Thursday, 2/10/2011

LA LAKERS at BOSTON, 8:00 PM ET TNT
LA LAKERS: 13-2 ATS Away off BB Road wins
BOSTON: 8-19 ATS in non-conference home games

GOLDEN STATE at PHOENIX, 9:00 PM ET
GOLDEN STATE: 12-26 ATS Away after scoring 110+ last game
PHOENIX: 13-0 Over off division win by 10+ pts

DALLAS at DENVER, 10:30 PM ET TNT
DALLAS: 14-5 ATS if favored L2 games
DENVER: 0-5 ATS off loss by 3pts or less

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NHL
Short Sheet


Thursday, 2/10/2011

LOS ANGELES at PITTSBURGH, 7:00 PM ET NHL
LOS ANGELES: 6-0 Under off OT win
PITTSBURGH: 14-1 SU off home loss by 2+ goals

CAROLINA at PHILADELPHIA, 7:00 PM ET
CAROLINA: 1-9 SU vs. Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA: 18-6 SU after having won 2 of their last 3 games

NEW JERSEY at TORONTO, 7:00 PM ET
NEW JERSEY: 3-7 SU vs. Toronto
TORONTO: 8-14 SU at home if total is 5.5

NY ISLANDERS at MONTREAL, 7:30 PM ET
NY ISLANDERS: n/a
MONTREAL: n/a

BUFFALO at FLORIDA, 7:30 PM ET
BUFFALO: 0-9 SU if 9+ total goals were scored last game
FLORIDA: 74-51 Under in all home games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

NBA


Thursday, February 10

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NBA TNT doubleheader: What bettors need to know
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Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics (-3, 187.5)

The Lakers lost to the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, but got revenge last summer by winning Game 6 and Game 7 at the Staples Center to culminate a thrilling series with yet another championship. When the two rivals meet on Thursday night, L.A. will once again be looking for a measure of revenge.

That’s because the Lakers and Celtics faced each other less than two weeks ago, with Boston going on the road to hammer Los Angeles 109-96 on Jan. 30. Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 41 points, but the Lakers (36-16, 23-28-1 ATS) did little in the way of fundamentals or defense.

The Celtics shot 60.3 percent from the floor (including nine for 17 from downtown) and out-rebounded their opponents 43 to 30. Six Celtics scored in double-figures, led by Paul Pierce’s 32, while Kevin Garnett added 18 and pulled in 13 boards.

Rajon Rondo, who led Boston in rebounds, assists and steals during the 2010 NBA Finals, torched Los Angeles again. He went for 10 points and 16 assists in last month’s tilt. The Celtics also did a better job handling Pau Gasol, who averaged more than 11 rebounds in the Finals. Gasol had just seven boards and shot 5-of-13 for 12 points.

NO LUCK FOR THE IRISH

The injuries continue to pile up for the Celtics (38-13, 24-25-2 ATS), who lost Marquis Daniels for at least a month in Sunday's 91-80 win over the Magic. Daniels endured a scary fall and bruised his spinal cord. Jermaine O'Neal is likely out until April after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery last week and Shaquille O'Neal has been sidelined for three straight games. Shaq is expected to miss Thursday's contest and could be left on the shelf until the All-Star break for extra rest.

“You’ve got to keep rolling,” said head coach Doc Rivers, who has used eight different starting lineups this season. “I really try not to live in the past or in the what-ifs. I tell our guys that all the time. We’ve just got to keep playing and finding a way.”

Los Angeles, on the other hand, escaped a 93-84 win over Memphis on Monday night in pretty good shape. Kobe tweaked his left ankle but should be fine for Thursday and Ron Artest got popped in the nose by Marc Gasol, brother of Pao. Artest stayed in the game and while his nose was swollen afterward, it is not broken.

TRENDING TOPICS

The Celtics are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six against teams with winning SU records and they are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 following an SU loss.

The over is 9-1 in Boston’s last 10 following an SU loss and 9-2 in its last 11 home games.

Head-to-head, the Lakers are 1-4 ATS in the last five showdowns between the two powerhouses. The under is 5-1 in their last six encounters and 4-0 in the last four in Boston.



Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets (N/A)

It will be the third of four meetings between the Mavericks and Nuggets this season when two of the Western Conference’s best teams go head-to-head on Thursday.

In each of their previous two encounters, the underdog went on the road to pull out a victory. Dallas—as a 4-point dog—edged Denver 102-101 on Nov. 3. Playing their next game on Nov. 6 with two days of rest while their opponents played on zero days rest, the Mavericks—as 6.5-point faves—fell 103-92.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 35 points and had 10 rebounds in the Mavs’ victory, which ended when Carmelo Anthony missed a potential game-winner in the final seconds. Anthony made amends by scoring 27 points against Dallas three days later, hitting all four of his 3-pointer attempts as the Nuggets (30-22, 22-27-3 ATS) went a ridiculous 13 for 21 from beyond the arc. The Mavericks turned it over 21 times (seven by Nowitzki) to Denver’s 12.

The Mavericks, who are visiting Sacramento on Wednesday night, boast a solid 7-3 record (6-4 ATS) in the second of back-to-back games this season. The Nuggets, who are making a trip to Golden State on Wednesday, are 6-6 (5-7 ATS) playing on zero days rest.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING!

The Mavericks (36-15, 27-22-2 ATS) were down in the dumps last month, losing six in a row and going 2-6 while Nowitzki was out with a sprained knee. It did not help that Caron Butler was lost for the season on Jan. 1 due to a ruptured patellar tendon. To say Dallas has rallied, though, would be an understatement.

“It wasn’t pretty there for a while, but I think what we talked about was that we’re too talented and just too good,” Nowitzki said last week. “We just got to get healthy and do some of the stuff we were doing in November, December and we’d get back to our winning ways. That was good to see that we got our stuff back and now we've just got to keep going.”

The Mavs are doing just that, having won nine straight for the longest current winning streak in the NBA. They avoided a recent embarrassment against the team at the opposite end of the spectrum (to say the least!), surviving 99-96 at home on Tuesday to send Cleveland to an NBA worst-ever 25 consecutive losses.

TRENDING TOPICS

The Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last six overall.

The under is 6-1 in Denver’s last seven against the Western Conference, but the over is 6-2 in Dallas’ last eight overall.

Head-to-head, the under is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the two teams. The Nuggets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 at home against the Mavs.


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[Udog]

NBA & NCAAB


Thursday, February 10

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Pick 'n' Roll: Today's best basketball bets
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NBA

Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns (-6, 203.5)

The Warriors have to shoot the three better. That’s not something you would expect to hear about the top-ranked team in three-point shooting, either.

Golden State leads the NBA in threes, making 39.5 percent of their attempts from distance. But in their 104-92 loss to Phoenix earlier this week, the team shot a horrific 11.1 percent from beyond the arc as the Warriors connected on just 2-of-18 attempts.

Forward Dorell Wright, who was selected to participate in the Three-Point Shootout on Saturday night before the All-Star game, was a terrible 3-of-13 from the floor and 0-for-4 from downtown.

"We played terrible," guard Monta Ellis said. "It was embarrassing the way we came out and played. We had been playing great, and to come out here and put on a performance like this is very disappointing."

And it’s not like the Suns are an elite defensive team. Phoenix is mediocre at defending the three-point line, letting opponents bury 35.2 percent of their treys.

Want another statistical anomaly? Golden State had been playing some of its best defense of the season entering the matchup with the Suns, but forced a season-low six turnovers after making them cough up the rock 16 times in a meeting earlier this year.

"We have to look at what we have," Warriors coach Keith Smart said. "We can't wish and hope for something we don't have."

What the Warriors have is one of the top three-point shooting attacks in the game. Look for it to connect on Thursday night in Arizona.

Pick: Golden State


NCAA

Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans (-6.5, 129)

When Penn State senior forward Jeff Brooks went down with a shoulder injury, the Nittany Lions had to find a way to make up for a player who led the team in rebounds (7.2 rpg), was second in points (13.2 ppg), and also was the team’s best interior defender.

Racing out to double-digit leads in both the first and second half against Michigan, it appeared that Penn State had solved the issue. But when the final horn sounded, Penn State was on the losing end of a 65-62 score and looked lost for stretches without Brooks. Worse yet, the senior is expected to remain sidelined for a while with his upper body ailment.

"We just played soft, we lacked toughness," Battle said of the Michigan loss. "I'm not gonna beat around the bush. We didn't make the toughness plays. We didn't make one stop."

And it will be interesting to see who can stop Michigan State. In a 66-62 win over the Spartans in Happy Valley earlier this year, Brooks was the star, scoring a team-high 17 points to go with a game-high 12 rebounds. Just as important, he contributed a game-high four blocks.

The Spartans may be falling apart, but the Nittany Lions have no one to replace Brooks and already have plenty of road issues. The team is just 1-6 on opposing courts, posting their only away victory at Indiana.

“They are going to use an apparatus on his shoulder to restrict the mobility, but he will not practice [Tuesday],” PSU coach Ed DeChellis said of Brooks. “He’ll shoot free throws, run around, try to get a sweat and we’ll reevaluate him. If he can’t practice, he won’t play.”

If he doesn’t play, Penn State doesn’t have a chance.

Pick: Michigan State


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[Udog]

NHL


Thursday, February 10

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Ice picks: Thursday's best NHL bets
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New Jersey Devils at Toronto Maple Leafs (-125, 5.5)

The Devils are, well… hot.

New Jersey was in such a deep hole that the team still has plenty to fight through just to get back to .500. However, the team has been gold for bettors the past few weeks, racking up a record of 8-2 as New Jersey is playing its best hockey of the season.

"Any streak of wins we'll take right now," said goalie Martin Brodeur. "Right now we feel like we're doing the right things and right now we'll take advantage of what's going on. It's nice to be having fun out there once again."

The biggest reason for the team’s success has been the play of a reinvigorated Brodeur and tighter play from the defense. During the team’s hot streak – a span of 10 games – it is giving up a mere 1.8 goals per game and has posted wins over the Rangers, Flyers, Canadiens and Penguins.

Offensively, the team also has thrived as over-paid forward Ilya Kovalchuk has racked up five goals and 10 points over the past 10 games. Even more importantly, he is also paying some attention to his own end as he is plus-4 during the team’s run of success.

Prior to that, Kovalchuk was a horrid minus-27.

“(It) will probably be the key stretch for us,” Kovalchuck said. “If we want to make a real push, then we have to get points in those games.”

Pick: New Jersey


Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers (+109, 5.5)

The Sabres have done something the past two games that is very unlike them – score goals. The pop-gun offense the team possesses has hurt it at points this season, but Buffalo is coming off a 6-2 win against Toronto and a 7-4 victory over Tampa Bay.

"We just kept the foot on the gas in the third period," said Sabres right wing Drew Stafford of the win over Tampa Bay.

Stafford has been flying pretty fast himself, registering a hat trick against the Lightning. In the past two games he has netted five goals, chipped in an assist and logged four penalty minutes. Not bad for a forward who is logging just over 15 minutes of ice time a night.

“I think I’ve been playing kind of the same way as far as getting chances,” he added. “The differences are it’s going in.”

That’s not good news for the Panthers. Florida has lost eight of its past 10 games, surrendering three or more goals an identical eight times during that span. And now, the team may be missing forward Cory Stillman, who suffered an upper body injury this week. Stillman has 21 points in 38 games and is a solid plus-8.

“He’s been playing really well since he came back from the last injury,” said linemante Marty Reasoner. “It’s a big blow.”

Pick: Buffalo


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[Udog]

NCAAB
Short Sheet


Thursday, 2/10/2011

FLORIDA ST at GEORGIA TECH, 7:00 PM ET
FLORIDA ST: 4-18 ATS after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7 games
GEORGIA TECH: 33-16 ATS as home underdog

CONNECTICUT at ST JOHNS, 7:00 PM ET
CONNECTICUT: 22-7 ATS off win by 3pts or less
ST JOHNS: 16-6 Under in home games

LA-LAFAYETTE at FLA INTERNATIONAL, 7:00 PM ET
LA-LAFAYETTE: 2-10 ATS off an Under
FLA INTERNATIONAL: 14-4 ATS after having lost 6 or 7 of their last 8 games

PENN ST at MICHIGAN ST, 7:00 PM ET
PENN ST: 10-2 ATS off BB ATS losses
MICHIGAN ST: 0-9 ATS off BB conference games

WRIGHT ST at BUTLER, 7:00 PM ET
WRIGHT ST: 0-7 ATS Away after 4 straight games w/ 11 or less turnovers
BUTLER: 8-1 Over as home favorite

DETROIT at VALPARAISO, 8:05 PM ET
DETROIT: 6-0 Over after scoring 80+ pts
VALPARAISO: 9-1 ATS off road game

WI-MILWAUKEE at LOYOLA-IL, 8:00 PM ET
WI-MILWAUKEE: 7-0 ATS Away if home favorite L3 games
LOYOLA-IL: 11-24 ATS after allowing 75+ points BB games

WI-GREEN BAY at IL-CHICAGO, 8:00 PM ET
WI-GREEN BAY: 9-0 ATS off road loss
IL-CHICAGO: 1-7 ATS off ATS win

MIDDLE TENN ST at W KENTUCKY, 8:00 PM ET
MIDDLE TENN ST: 2-9 ATS off home win by 10+ points
W KENTUCKY: 11-3 Under vs. Middle Tenn State

TROY at S ALABAMA, 8:05 PM ET
TROY: 22-11 ATS off ATS loss
S ALABAMA: 6-19 ATS as home favorite

ARKANSAS ST at LA-MONROE, 8:30 PM ET
ARKANSAS ST: 11-3 ATS off home win by 10+
LA-MONROE: 14-3 ATS off BB conf losses

ALABAMA at VANDERBILT, 9:00 PM ET
ALABAMA: 12-3 ATS Away off SU dog win vs. conference
VANDERBILT: 38-66 ATS off conference win

CALIFORNIA at WASHINGTON, 9:00 PM ET
CALIFORNIA: 6-0 ATS Away off an Over
WASHINGTON: 7-1 Over as a home favorite of 12.5 to 18 points

ILLINOIS at MINNESOTA, 9:00 PM ET
ILLINOIS: 18-7 ATS vs. Minnesota
MINNESOTA: 0-6 ATS at home off home game

FLA ATLANTIC at DENVER, 9:00 PM ET
FLA ATLANTIC: 6-1 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
DENVER: 4-12 ATS when the line is +3 to -3

FRESNO ST at BOISE ST, 9:05 PM ET
FRESNO ST: 5-16 ATS vs. Boise State
BOISE ST: 7-0 ATS after scoring 50 pts or less

CS-NORTHRIDGE at CS-FULLERTON, 10:05 PM ET
CS-NORTHRIDGE: 15-6 ATS off home win
CS-FULLERTON: 6-15 ATS as home favorite or pick

PORTLAND at PEPPERDINE, 10:00 PM ET
PORTLAND: 22-10 ATS as favorite
PEPPERDINE: 0-7 ATS at home off ATS win

UC-SANTA BARBARA at UC-RIVERSIDE, 10:00 PM ET
UC-SANTA BARBARA: 2-8 ATS vs. conference
UC-RIVERSIDE: 4-13 ATS off SU win as road underdog

LONG BEACH ST at CAL DAVIS, 10:00 PM ET
LONG BEACH ST: 3-12 ATS off BB SU wins
CAL DAVIS: 17-4 ATS after allowing 80+ points

CAL POLY-SLO at UC-IRVINE, 10:00 PM ET
CAL POLY-SLO: 6-0 ATS Away after scoring 25 points or less in the first half last game
UC-IRVINE: 19-35 ATS after scoring 80+ points

STANFORD at WASHINGTON ST, 10:00 PM ET
STANFORD: 26-9 ATS off 3+ home games
WASHINGTON ST: 3-16 ATS off BB Unders

OREGON at UCLA, 10:30 PM ET
OREGON: 7-1 ATS if underdog L2 games
UCLA: 6-18 ATS off ATS win

SAN DIEGO at SAN FRANCISCO, 10:30 PM ET
SAN DIEGO: 5-15 ATS as an underdog
SAN FRANCISCO: 7-1 ATS in home games

OREGON ST at USC, 11:00 PM ET
OREGON ST: 9-0 Under after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 games
USC: 9-20 ATS as favorite

GONZAGA at LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT, 11:00 PM ET
GONZAGA: 12-4 Under when the total is 140 to 149.5
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT: 61-92 ATS if road underdog last game

ST MARYS-CA at SANTA CLARA, 11:00 PM ET
ST MARYS-CA: 10-0 ATS after a game where they made 50% of their 3 point shots or better
SANTA CLARA: 6-0 Under revenging same season loss

Added Games

GA SOUTHERN at FURMAN, 7:00 PM ET
GA SOUTHERN: 20-33 ATS off SU loss
FURMAN: 9-2 ATS as favorite

UT-CHATTANOOGA at W CAROLINA, 7:00 PM ET
UT-CHATTANOOGA: 30-15 Under off BB Unders
W CAROLINA: 1-7 ATS as favorite

SAMFORD at APPALACHIAN ST, 7:00 PM ET
SAMFORD: 2-8 ATS vs. team w/ losing record
APPALACHIAN ST: 21-10 ATS off conference game

SE MISSOURI ST at E KENTUCKY, 7:30 PM ET
SE MISSOURI ST: 7-0 ATS Away revenging home loss of 10+ pts
E KENTUCKY: 0-7 ATS after a win by 6 points or less

E ILLINOIS at MOREHEAD ST, 7:45 PM ET
E ILLINOIS: 11-24 ATS off 3+ ATS losses
MOREHEAD ST: 9-2 ATS off BB road games

TENNESSEE TECH at MURRAY ST, 8:30 PM ET
TENNESSEE TECH: 7-1 ATS as road underdog
MURRAY ST: 5-15 ATS as a home favorite of 12.5 to 15 points

JACKSONVILLE ST at TENN-MARTIN, 8:30 PM ET
JACKSONVILLE ST: 16-3 Under when the line is +3 to -3
TENN-MARTIN: 10-3 ATS vs. conference

SACRAMENTO ST at MONTANA, 9:00 PM ET
SACRAMENTO ST: 9-2 ATS vs. conference
MONTANA: 10-2 ATS off BB losses by 10+ pts

N ARIZONA at WEBER ST, 9:05 PM ET
N ARIZONA: 7-0 ATS off an Under
WEBER ST: 7-0 ATS after 3 straight games with 31 or less rebounds

N COLORADO at MONTANA ST, 9:05 PM ET
N COLORADO: 17-5 ATS Away off ATS loss
MONTANA ST: 2-14 ATS off 3+ conf games

IDAHO ST at PORTLAND ST, 10:05 PM ET
IDAHO ST: 1-9 ATS after a loss by 6 points or less
PORTLAND ST: 8-1 ATS after having lost 5 or 6 of their last 7 games

** (TC) Denotes Time Change



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Tips and Trends
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Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics [TNT | 8:00 PM ET]
Team Tips Top Trends Key Injuries
LAKERS: Los Angeles is off to a good start on their road trip, as they were able to beat both New Orleans and Memphis SU and ATS. Tonight is a critical game for Los Angeles, as they have revenge on their minds from their blowout to the Celtics at home earlier this season. The Lakers are 36-16 SU and 23-28-1 ATS overall this year. Los Angeles is currently in 3rd place in the Western Conference, 7.5 games behind San Antonio. The Lakers are 17-8 SU and 13-11-1 ATS on the road this season. Los Angeles lost their only game both SU and ATS as the listed underdog this season. The Lakers are averaging 103.1 PPG overall this season, 7th best in the NBA. G Kobe Bryant is averaging a team best 25.4 PPG this year. F Pau Gasol has been far more aggressive offensively of late, a welcome sign from Bryant and the rest of his team. Gasol is averaging 18.7 PPG and a team high 10.5 RPG this season. The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games against a team with a home winning percentage greater than .600%. Los Angeles is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a SU win. The Lakers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 2 days rest.

Projected Score: 97 (SIDE of the Day) Lakers are 1-10 ATS last 11 Thursday games.

Under is 5-1 last 6 games against a team with a winning SU record.
F Matt Barnes (knee) is out.
CELTICS: (-3.5, O/U 187.5) Boston has been merely average of late, as they appear to be looking ahead to the upcoming All-Star Break. Despite their average play of late, the Celtics still have the best record in the Eastern Conference. Boston is 38-13 SU and 24-25-2 ATS overall this season. The Celtics are an impressive 23-4 SU and 11-14-2 ATS in home games this year. Boston is 15-21-2 ATS as the listed single digit favorite this year. The Celtics have already beaten the Lakers once this year, so they will be looking for the regular season sweep tonight. F Paul Pierce is leading the Celtics in scoring yet again this year, averaging 19 PPG. G Ray Allen is averaging 17.5 PPG this season, and is 2 made three pointers from becoming the most prolific 3 point shooter in NBA history. Defensively, Boston is allowing just 91.5 PPG, the fewest in the entire NBA. The Celtics are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 games playing on 2 days rest. Boston is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%. The Celtics are 22-8 ATS in their last 30 games following a SU loss. Boston is 25-10-2 ATS in their last 37 games following an ATS loss. The Celtics are 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games against the NBA Pacific. Boston is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games against a team with a road winning percentage greater than .600%.

Projected Score: 93 Celtics are 5-1 ATS last 6 Thursday games.

Over is 9-2 last 11 home games.

C Shaquille O'Neal (achilles) is doubtful.

Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets [TNT | 10:30 PM ET]
Team Tips Top Trends Key Injuries
MAVERICKS: Dallas is the hottest team in the NBA right now, as they've won their past 9 games SU. The Mavericks are so much better when F Dirk Nowitzki is healthy and doing his best MVP impersonation. Dallas is 36-15 SU and 27-22-2 ATS overall this season. The Mavericks have used their 9 game winning streak to climb to the 2nd best record in the Western Conference. Dallas is 16-7 SU and 15-8 ATS on the road this season. Dallas appears to be getting healthier on their bench, as F Peja Stojakovic and Rodrigue Beaubois get closer to playing time. Defensively, Dallas is allowing just 94.6 PPG this season, 7th fewest in the NBA. Nowitzki is averaging a team best 23.1 PPG this season, while shooting better than 52% from the field. C Tyson Chandler is averaging 10.3 PPG and a team best 9.6 RPG this year. The Mavericks are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 road games against a team with a home winning percentage greater than .600%. Dallas is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games against the NBA Northwest. The Mavericks are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 games against a team with a winning SU record. Dallas is 13-37-1 ATS in their last 51 Thursday games.
Mavericks are 5-1 ATS last 6 games overall.

Over is 4-1 last 5 Thursday games.

F Dirk Nowitzki (wrist) is probable.
NUGGETS: It appears Denver is finally starting to show signs of cracking. The Nuggets have lost 4 of their past 6 games SU, no surprise if you considering all the injuries and trade rumors swirling around them. The Nuggets are 30-22 SU and 22-27-3 ATS overall this season. If the playoffs started today, Denver would be the 7th seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets are 21-7 SU and 12-14-2 ATS in home games this year. Denver has played Dallas twice at the beginning of this season, with each team winning SU on the road as the listed underdog. The Nuggets have the most prolific offense in the NBA, as they are averaging 107.6 PPG this year. F Carmelo Anthony is coming off a 50 point outburst, and is averaging a team best 24.6 PPG. PG Chauncey Billups is averaging 16.2 PPG and a team high 5.3 APG this season. The Nuggets are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games playing on 0 days rest. Denver is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games against the NBA Southwest. Nuggets are 16-5 ATS last 21 home games against a team with a winning road record.

Under is 6-1 last 7 games against the Western Conference.
C Nene (illness) is probable.


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