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

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Still on a positive roll....NBA Yesterday 4 - 2 - 1

College : 2 - 1

Nice bunch of games today...Lets see what i can come up with.....Good luck gang.

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Buckeyes Look To Bounce Back at Minnesota

Super Tuesday will officially come a few weeks from now, March 6, to be exact. Ten states will hold their presidential primaries that day, roughly one third the number of college basketball conferences that will be holding their postseason tournaments around the same time, which is what makes it really super duper this season, I guess.

Fortunately for college hoops bettors, Super Tuesday is each week on the slate, and this one is super critical for a trio of teams that will be on the road coming off Saturday losses at home. Ok, no more use of the 's' word.

Ohio State, Florida and Creighton will be part of Tuesday's NCAA odds board, and all three are in need of a statement game to prove they're at least a threat in their conferences as well as nationally. The Buckeyes and Gators suffered upsets to Michigan State and Tennessee respectively, while the Bluejays are in a 3-game slide after a loss in Omaha to Wichita State.

Let's start with the Buckeyes traveling to meet the Minnesota Golden Gophers (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN). Overnight numbers had Ohio State -7 and the scoreboard hurdle set at 127.

BracketBuster games don't officially start until later this week, but last Saturday's contest in Columbus might have been an early start to busted seedings. Ohio State was on a clear course to a No. 1 seed in a March regional before dropping a 58-48 decision to Michigan State. Instead of a 2-game lead in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes are tied with the Spartans – both 9-3 conference records – while the Michigan Wolverines (9-4) and Wisconsin Badgers (8-4) each lurk within a game. Thad Matta's men dropped three rungs to sixth in the latest coaches poll as Missouri, Duke and Kansas each pushed ahead of OSU.

The loss means the Buckeyes have to regain their stature as a concrete No. 1 regional seed for the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State begins its last six regular season games with this trip to Minnesota, a stretch that will include road tilts at Michigan (this Saturday) and Michigan State (March 4) and a home date against Wisconsin.

The Buckeyes won both meetings with the Gophers last season, including an 82-69 victory in Minneapolis as 5-point favorites, and have been triumphant the past four matchups (3-1 ATS).

While the Big Ten has morphed into a four team duel, the Southeastern Conference finds the Kentucky Wildcats all alone at the top of the standings. Kentucky's 3.5-game cushion is thanks to the Florida Gators dropping a pair of games this past week that included being manhandled by the Wildcats in Lexington. Billy Donovan and the Gators will try to get back into the win column Tuesday when they visit the Alabama Crimson Tide (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Florida followed the defeat at Kentucky with a 75-70 setback at home Saturday vs. Tennessee who was a big 12-point road 'dog. The spread loss was the fifth in the last seven games for the Gators who were in foul trouble much of the game.

Alabama has its own troubles heading into this game. Head coach Anthony Grant had four players on the suspended list for last Saturday's game at LSU, a 67-58 Tigers win as 3-point favorites. That list includes the team's top three scorers – JaMychal Green (14.1 PPG), Tony Mitchell (13.1 PPG) and Trevor Releford (12.4 PPG) – plus Andrew Steele (5.8 PPG). All four remain indefinitely suspended and their availability for Tuesday's game is in doubt at this time.

Early lines listed the Gators as 5½-point favorites with 129 for the total.

Creighton's recent woes continued Saturday at the hands of Wichita State who handed the Bluejays their third consecutive defeat in convincing fashion, 89-68. The game closed as a pick on the college basketball betting board, and poor shooting once again played a key role in Creighton's loss. The Bluejays rank 10th in the country averaging 79.5 PPG and third nationally hitting 3-pointers at a 42.6 percent clip. Both of those figures have dropped dramatically during the 3-game slide that has seen Creighton average 62.3 PPG and convert on just 14-of-61 shots from behind the arc (22.9%).

The Bluejays look to snap their skid on Tuesday when they visit the Southern Illinois Salukis (8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN3). Creighton opened as 7-point road chalk with oddsmakers sending out a 142-point total.

This is a rematch from about a month ago when the schools met in Omaha where Creighton coasted to a 90-71 victory as 14-point chalk. That contest came smack-dab in the middle of an 11-game Bluejays win streak and saw Doug McDermott reach the 1,000-point plateau for his career with a game-high 25. Creighton emptied the bench in that easy win that marked their eighth straight in the series.

Rediscovering their shooting touch will be paramount for the 'Jays to regain some confidence ahead of their Saturday home contest against Long Beach State as part of the BracketBusters series.

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New York Knicks Visit Raptors Amid Linsanity

A new phenomenon named Linsanity is sweeping the NBA as the New York Knicks visit the Toronto Raptors as part of a 9-game Tuesday slate on Valentine’s Day.

New York (13-15 straight up and against the spread) looked headed for irrelevance before a current 5-game winning streak. Point guard Jeremy Lin rarely got off the bench before getting his chance. He’s averaged 26.8 PPG and eight assists over the last five games, creating a fervor in the Big Apple and across the nation.

Lin’s emergence has also helped at the betting window with eight straight covers overall after starting the season 5-15 ATS. New York is the hottest ATS team in the league along with San Antonio. No other squad even has a 3-game ATS winning streak pending Monday’s results.

There is a question whether Lin can even remotely keep this current pace. He shot just 8-of-24 from the field (20 points) Saturday night at Minnesota, although still hitting the game-winning free throw (100-98 win) with four seconds left. Opposing defenses have started to account for him a lot more and he won’t get that many shots when New York is fully healthy.

The Knicks should get big man Amare Stoudemire (personal) back Tuesday after missing four games. Leading scorer Carmelo Anthony (22.3 PPG) has missed the last three with a groin injury and is expected out again. Both will have an adjustment period playing with Lin.

Toronto (9-20 SU, 16-13 ATS) hasn’t been a pushover lately at 5-1 ATS in its last six. That includes an 86-74 home win over Boston on Friday and then almost beating the Lakers at home on Sunday (94-92 loss). Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan (14.8 PPG) is averaging 18.8 PPG over the last five games as the team is still missing leading scorer Andrea Bargnani (23.5 PPG).

The Raptors won the first meeting, 90-85 as 8½-point ‘dogs in New York in early January. Bargnani scored 21 points, while Stoudemire didn’t play.

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
7:00 p.m. (ET) on NBA-TV

The Heat (21-7 SU, 13-15 ATS) will be playing their third game in three nights on Tuesday. It started with a 107-87 win at Atlanta on Sunday, with Monday’s result at Milwaukee still pending. Teams playing in a back-to-back-to-back situation this year are surprisingly 10-7 ATS (9-8 SU).

The Pacers (17-10 SU, 13-14 ATS) have lost three straight, including tough weekend defeats at Memphis (98-92) on Friday and home to Denver (113-109) on Saturday. They’re 0-5 ATS in their last five overall. The home record is 7-3 SU, but 4-6 ATS after failing to cover the last five there.

Miami dominated Indiana 118-83 as 7½-point home favorites back on January 4. That was even without Dwyane Wade. The Heat are also 3-0 SU and ATS in the last three in Indiana.

Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles Lakers
10:30 p.m. (ET) on Regional Networks

Atlanta (18-10 SU, 14-13-1 ATS) has been playing without injured starting center Al Horford and backup Jason Collins. That leaves a bad matchup of Zaza Pachulia and undersized power forward Josh Smith against the Lakers’ twin towers of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Hawks are 5-1-1 ATS as a road favorite, but just 3-4 ATS as a road underdog.

The Lakers (16-12 SU, 12-16 ATS) return home to the Staples Center after a grueling 6-game trip over 10 days. The results were just 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS, failing to break 94 points in any of them. Los Angeles has played much better at home this year (11-2 SU, 8-5 ATS) and the ‘under’ is 4-0 in its last four home games following a road trip of seven days or more.

This is the first meeting between the teams this year. The Lakers have won the last five against Atlanta at home (4-1 ATS).

Tuesday other news and notes

The Jazz (14-12 SU and ATS) will also be playing in a back-to-back-to-back Tuesday night at Oklahoma City (21-6 SU, 15-12 ATS). All three of those games are on the road, making the scenario far more difficult. Oklahoma City is 9-1 SU (5-5 ATS) at home and just won at the Jazz last Friday night, 101-87 as 1-point favorites.

Chicago (23-7 SU, 18-12 ATS) has superstar point guard Derrick Rose (back) listed as doubtful at home against Sacramento (10-17 SU, 13-14 ATS). He missed last game at Boston on Sunday, a 95-91 loss as 1-point favorites. The Kings had a 7-game ATS winning streak snapped Saturday versus Phoenix (98-84 loss as 2½-point home favorites). They’re just 3-12 SU on the road, but have covered their last four away.

San Antonio (19-9 SU, 17-11 ATS) has a 7-game winning streak to go along with the 8-straight covers mentioned above. Manu Ginobili (hand) returned at New Jersey after missing 22 games and scored eight points in 17 minutes. The Spurs are at Detroit (8-21 SU, 11-17-1 ATS), which had its own

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Detroit Red Wings Eye NHL Record On Tuesday

With their thrilling 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Sunday, the Detroit Red Wings became the third team in NHL history to win 20 straight games at home, joining the 1929-30 Boston Bruins and the 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers. Both of those teams had their home winning streaks come to an end at 20; the Detroit Red Wings have the chance to make history Tuesday night with a 21st straight home win facing the Dallas Stars at 7:30 p.m. (ET).

The remarkable 20-game run has given the Red Wings (38-17-2) an astounding 23-2-1 record at home this season. Dallas (28-24-3) has lost two straight and four of its last five; entering Monday’s action three points out of a playoff spot, the Stars are in desperate need of points to keep their playoff hopes alive, but Detroit is an awfully tough place to pick up points this season.

This will be the fourth and final meeting between these two teams; Detroit won each of the previous three matchups.

As the Red Wings continue to surge at home, the Chicago Blackhawks continue to tailspin on the road. Overall, the Blackhawks (29-20-7) have now lost eight straight, picking up a point in overtime in just one of those eight losses while giving up an ugly 4.4 goals against per game over that stretch. Dating back to December 20, Chicago has lost 10 straight games on the road.

This Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. (ET), the Blackhawks hope to end their current and road losing streaks on the road against the Nashville Predators. It was the Predators (32-18-6) that started Chicago’s eight-game losing streak, beating the Blackhawks 5-2 in Nashville on January 21 and then 3-1 in Chicago on January 24. After an 11-2-0 run in January, Nashville has cooled off a bit of late with a 1-2-2 (1-4 on the moneyline) record over its last five games.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the top two teams will duke it out as the New York Rangers visit the Boston Bruins at 7:00 p.m. (ET) Tuesday night. At just 6-5-1 over their last 12 games, the Bruins (34-17-2) will be looking for back-to-back wins Tuesday for the first time since January 12.

New York (36-13-5) will pose a tough challenge for Boston. The Rangers have opened up a seven-point lead over the Bruins in the conference standings and are 7-1-1 in their last nine games while riding a three-game winning streak. Since October 16, New York is 18-6-1 on the road and beat Boston 3-2 in overtime at home back in January in the only meeting so far this season.

In a cross-country, interconference rivalry game that will have big playoff implications, the Toronto Maple Leafs head to Calgary to take on the Flames Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. (ET). Heading into Monday’s action, the Leafs (28-22-6) sat one point ahead of Washington for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East and Calgary (26-22-8) was two points behind Phoenix for the eighth spot in the West.

Toronto enters the game on a three-game losing streak while Calgary has earned points in five straight games (3-0-2).

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Tuesday's Tip Sheet

February 14, 2012

How teams respond off a loss can often be tough to gauge, especially in college basketball. Talent and experience are key factors in rebound games but the opponent and environment still leaves many questions unanswered. Bettors are looking at close to two dozen matchups on the college hardwood tonight and the featured games have teams facing bounce-back situations.
All early lines provided by BetOnline.com, who has openers out quicker than all other betting shops. See for yourself in our Live Odds applet!

No. 14 Florida (19-6 SU, 9-10 ATS) at Alabama (16-8 SU, 9-11 ATS)

The Gators were humbled not once but twice last week. On Wednesday, the school dropped a 20-point decision at Kentucky and followed that loss with its first home defeat of the season on Saturday to Tennessee, 75-70.

Even after dropping two in row, Florida opened as a 4 ½-point road favorite over Alabama and the number has moved to 5 ½ due to multiple suspensions for the Crimson Tide.

Forwards JaMychal Green (14.1 PPG) and Tony Mitchell (13.1 PPG) are still listed as ‘out’ against UF. The team is expected to have guards Trevor Releford (12.4 PPG) and Andrew Steele (5.8 PPG) in the backcourt.

None of the four played in Alabama’s 67-58 loss to LSU on Saturday. The Tide has been a solid bet at home (10-2) this season, and the two losses came to quality opponents in Georgetown and Vanderbilt.

As a visitor, Florida has struggled to a 2-5 record and one of the wins came against South Carolina, who is 1-9 in SEC play. More importantly, the Gators are 1-3 as road favorites with the lone cover coming against the aforementioned Gamecocks. The Gators won’t have Will Yeguete and guard Mike Rosario in the lineup due to injuries. The pair has combined for 12 PPG and seven boards off the bench this season.

The opening total started at 129, which seems a little low. Florida chucks from the outside early and often and Alabama is on a 7-3 run to the ‘over.’ Plus, the ‘over’ is on a 5-0 run in the last five head-to-head meetings. Still, Alabama will be without 27 PPG in the frontcourt but that could open up the paint on both sides of the ball.

No. 6 Ohio State at Minnesota

The Buckeyes looked as bad as they could last Saturday and they were handed a 10-point loss (48-58) at home to Michigan State. Ohio State’s offensive numbers were the worst of the season, as it shot 26.4 percent from the floor and just 2-of-15 (13%) from 3-point land.

The loss snapped Ohio State’s six-game winning streak (5-1 ATS) but there were some telling signs that a setback was coming. The team wasn’t sharp in a road win over Wisconsin (58-52) and they certainly didn’t come to play against Purdue (87-84) last Tuesday.

Fortunately for head coach Thad Matta, his squad has been solid off a loss this season. In the three previous occasions, Ohio State won by 24, 31 and 17 points in the rebound spot. It should be noted that two of the wins came against South Carolina Upstate and Nebraska, the other against Indiana. And, all three of those encounters were in Columbus.

Tonight, the Buckeyes head to Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are considered a “Bubble Team” but they can make or break their case to the selection committee over the next six games. After tonight’s battle against Ohio State, Tubby Smith’s team heads to Northwestern before three ranked tilts against Michigan State, Indiana and Wisconsin.

The Gophers came up short to Wisconsin (61-68) in overtime on Saturday after rallying from a 13-point deficit. Against the Badgers, Minnesota was a one-point home ‘dog and tonight its catching seven points, which tells you the level of class Ohio State is in.

Minnesota has been an underdog six times this season and has produced a 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS mark, with just one of the losses by double digits.


Mike Moser and UNLV haven't been a solid bet on the road. (Getty Images)

OSU has won four straight (3-1 ATS) in this series, including both meetings last season. The ‘over’ is 3-1 during this span, with the Bucks putting up 80 or more points in three of the victories.

Bonus Bets

No. 22 Virginia (19-5) has had a nice season but the school appears to be more of a bully than a contender. They have one good win (Michigan) on paper and pardon the expression, two decent road losses to Duke (58-61) and Florida State (52-70). The Cavaliers are off a loss to UNC (52-70) on Saturday, which was their second straight setback on the road. Tonight, UVA heads to Clemson, who snapped a three-game losing streak on Saturday with a win over Wake Forest (78-58). The Cavs beat the Tigers 65-61 on Jan. 31 at home, but failed to cover as 7 ½-point favorites. Clemson was leading at the break in that game and the oddsmakers have made it a short (-1.5) unranked favorite here.

Creighton (21-5 SU, 13-9 ATS) was the class of the Missouri Valley Conference before its recent three-game losing streak. The Blue Jays were outclassed at home on Saturday to Wichita State (68-89) and now head on the road to Southern Illinois this Tuesday. Fortunately, they’ve owned the Salukis recently, winning eight straight (6-2 ATS) including a 90-71 win on Jan. 15. Creighton opened as a seven-point road favorite.

If there is a school to watch outside of Kentucky and Florida in the SEC, it could be Mississippi State (19-6 SU, 11-13 ATS). The Bulldogs have some nice non-conference wins on their resume against Texas A&M, Arizona and West Virginia but it also has tough losses, including an overtime setback at home on Saturday to Georgia, 70-68. On Tuesday, Miss State will play four of its next five on the road and the home tilt sandwiched between is versus top-ranked Kentucky. The first opponent is LSU, who’s been decent at home (9-3). The line opened at a Pick ‘em, which says something as well.

Gamblers looking for a letdown spot could turn their attention to UNLV (22-4 SU, 10-12 ATS). The Rebels just beat San Diego State (65-63) on Saturday in a heated affair and now have to travel to TCU tonight. In road only games, UNLV has gone 5-4 SU and 1-7 ATS, which includes a 2-2 SU and 0-4 ATS ledger in conference battles. Not to mention, the two wins both came in overtime as well. The Horned Frogs (14-10 SU, 8-11 ATS) aren’t a basketball powerhouse but they’re getting a nice chunk of points and they have won six straight in Fort Worth.

Finally, if you want a solid mid-major matchup to watch on Tuesday, then check out VCU (22-5 SU, 14-11 ATS) and George Mason (21-6 SU, 9-15 ATS). The two schools are tied with Drexel for the Colonial lead at 13-2. Mason hasn’t lost at home (13-0) this season but VCU brings an 11-game winning streak into the affair, five of the victories coming on the road. Fittingly, the game opened Pick ‘em.

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College Betting Notes

February 13, 2012

They say “Every dog has its day” but for USC basketball, they’re finding that hard to believe. It’s been a tough season for the school that prides itself in all athletics with “Fight On” being their battle cry from the Spirit of Troy marching band. The more appropriate term for this season’s basketball program should be “Roll Over” as they have gone 6-20 and 1-12 in Pac 12 play.

For Las Vegas bettors, they are loving USC basketball because they have become one of the most reliable bets of the season. It’s supposed to get tougher to handicap when conference play starts, but USC has made it easier than ever by just betting against them.

Following Sunday’s 59-47 home loss to Stanford, USC has not covered in four straight games, and have gone 3-10 against the spread in conference play. Their only win since beating TCU in mid-December was beating the Pac-12’s second worst team, Utah, three weeks ago.

"It is incumbent to try our hardest as we go down the stretch," USC coach Kevin O'Neill said before their game Sunday. "Our circumstance stinks. It's the culmination of a lot of things. (But) we need to keep the integrity of playing hard every day.

"You have a job to do and you do it as hard as you can as long as you can."

The remaining schedule for the Trojans doesn’t look promising for a win to be captured as they’ll play at Arizona and Arizona State this weekend and close out with Washington and Washington State at home. They’ll be the No. 12 seed in the Pac-12 tournament with a first round game that looks to be either versus Oregon, Colorado or Arizona as the No. 5 seed.

It’s odd that USC would be at the depths of where they’re at now because last season they looked like they were on the rise following the shame that O.J. Mayo and Tim Floyd put the program in that led to a forfeiture of all wins in 2007-2008 and a one year postseason ban. Meanwhile, Floyd, who claimed to not know anything about payments to Mayo, is head coach of UTEP with no sanctions placed on him personally.

There's always next year, “Fight On!”

Mighty Sparty

No. 12 Michigan State’s impressive 58-48 victory at No. 3 Ohio State last Saturday as a 9-point underdog put the school in a tie atop the Big Ten standings with the Buckeyes at 9-3. The Spartans lost their first two games of the season to North Carolina and Duke, but then reeled off 15 wins in a row before losing at Northwestern and Michigan. Two weeks later they experienced another bad loss at Illinois, but since then have won and covered their last three.

In Saturday’s game at Columbus, they harassed Jared Sullinger all day and forced him into a rare, dubious triple-double (17 PTS - 16 REB - 10 TOs) on 5-of-15 shooting. Because this Michigan State team is so sound with defending and rebounding, they have held true, or better, to their rating and have been one of the better teams ATS this season. They have covered 10 of their last 13 games with their only non-covers coming on the road in losses.

They still have three tough road games left at Purdue, Minnesota and Indiana, then close out the season with a match against the Buckeyes on Mar. 4 at home.

Because of looking the best team form the top RPI conference, it may not be a bad bet to take a chance on the Spartans to win the NCAA Tournament at the 20/1 odds, which are offered at the LVH Super Book. Defense doesn’t always win championships in college basketball, but it will keep you in games on a poor shooting night.

Hot Teams

Coming out of nowhere to play some great basketball lately has been Delaware, who has won and covered its last four games, three of which came as an underdog, including a big 80-77 win at Georgia State Saturday as a 10 ½-point underdog. The Hens have now covered seven of their last eight games.

North Texas continues to cover games at a rapid pace making it 11 straight games with its trip to Florida for two games last week. Still not quite sure how they blew a big lead to Florida Atlantic to get to overtime and then lose by 5 (81-86), but they were getting 5 ½-points, so it turned out well if you rode the steak.

Louisiana-Monroe has covered in four straight despite being in the midst of an eight-game losing streak. They’ve been big underdogs for most of the year. In fact, they‘ve been the underdog in every game they played this season, but have gone 10-9 ATS.

Tennessee State is on a seven-game winning streak and has covered its last four, including Thursday’s big upset win at Murray State as a 12-point underdog. For Murray State, perhaps the loss is what they needed to refocus on the season and lose the thought of going undefeated. They handled Austin Peay by 19 on Saturday, their first cover in four weeks.

Yale has won four of its last five games and has covered four games in a row.

Boston College is in the same boat playing great lately with four straight covers, including a big win as 14-point underdogs against Florida State last Wednesday. The Seminoles have not covered in their last three games after reeling off six straight.

Louisville had won and covered its last six games heading into Monday night’s home game against Syracuse.

Cold Teams

Creighton has lost its last three games, all of which it was favored in. The 21-point (89-68) beat down on their home court Saturday by Wichita State may be an indication this tired team is ripe to bet against. In a week-and-a-half, they have gone from leading the MVC to being two full games behind Wichita State.

Middle Tennessee State has won three of its last four, but hasn’t covered any of the four.

Virginia Tech has gone 1-10 in its last 11 ATS and hasn’t covered its last six.

West Virginia has cooled considerably losing five of its last six and covering only once in its last seven.

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Hoop Trends - Tuesday

February 14, 2012

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Hawks are 0-11-1 ATS (-9.0 ppg) since November 09, 2004 as a dog after a double digit loss in which they had an assist to turnover ratio of at least two.


OU TREND OF THE DAY:


The Grizzlies are 10-0 OU (9.3 ppg) since December 30, 2000 as a home favorite when they shot less than 25% on threes in each of their last two games.

PLAYER BASED TREND OF THE DAY:


The Wizards are 0-10 ATS (-7.4 ppg) since December 05, 2010 on the road after a win in which John Wall was not the Wizards’ high scorer.

TODAY’S TRENDS:


The Knicks are 0-12-1 OU (-9.0 ppg) since December 15, 2008 on the road with at least one day of rest after a win in which they scored less than 15% of their points from the free throw line.

CHOICE TREND:


The Heat are 0-10 OU (-5.9 ppg) since April 25, 2009 as a favorite after a road win in which they shot at least ten three-pointers and made at least half of them.

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Tuesday Tips

February 14, 2012

The Tuesday NBA card showcases nine contests, including a pair of teams playing their third game in three nights. The Heat heads to Indiana for a key Eastern Conference matchup with the struggling Pacers, while the Jazz looks for revenge against division foe Oklahoma City.

Heat at Pacers - 7:05 PM EST

Miami has not been a great team with no rest this season, putting together a 3-6 ATS record. The Heat finishes their only three-in-three nights sequence of the season at Indiana, as the Pacers look to get on track. Indiana is riding a three-game losing streak after Saturday's home loss to Denver, the fifth straight non-cover for the Pacers. Miami pounded Indiana in its first meeting of the season, 118-83 as 7 ½-point favorites in early January. The Heat is 3-0 SU/ATS in the last three trips to Indiana, including a seven-point victory last February.

Knicks at Raptors - 7:05 PM EST

The Jeremy Lin mania heads north of the border on Tuesday as New York heads to Toronto. The Knicks are the hottest ATS team in the league with eight consecutive covers, while winning five straight games overall. New York is set to get All-Star Amare Stoudemire back in the lineup following a four-game absence, but Carmelo Anthony is still out with a groin injury. Toronto is 5-1 ATS the last six games, including consecutive home covers against the Celtics and Lakers. The Raptors upset the Knicks at MSG in early January, 90-85 as 8 ½-point underdogs.

Spurs at Pistons - 7:35 PM EST

San Antonio continues its annual "Rodeo Trip" with the next stop coming at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Spurs is rolling by picking up victories in seven straight games, while cashing in eight consecutive contests. The Pistons had their four-game winning streak come to a screeching halt in Sunday's embarrassing home loss to the lowly Wizards. San Antonio has struggled in the role as a road favorite, putting together a 1-5 SU/ATS mark. The lone win came on Saturday in Manu Ginobili's return to the lineup in a 103-89 blowout of the Nets as 9 ½-point 'chalk.'

Jazz at Thunder - 8:05 PM EST

Utah is playing its third game in three nights, all away from Salt Lake City. The Jazz picked up a victory in the first contest on Sunday night at Memphis, only their third road triumph of the season. Tyrone Corbin's squad fell at home to the Thunder last Friday, 101-87 as one-point underdogs. Oklahoma City returns home after a five-game road trip in which the Thunder finished 3-2 SU/ATS. The Thunder has failed to cover in each of their last two opportunities as a home favorite, while going 1-5 ATS against unrested opponents.

Rockets at Grizzlies - 8:05 PM EST

Houston concludes a six-game road swing in Memphis, attempting to finish things off with a 4-2 SU/ATS record. The Rockets were tripped up at Golden State on Sunday as 1 ½-point 'dogs, halting a three-game winning streak. The Grizzlies have failed to maintain consistency this season by compiling a 14-14 record, while coming up short in Sunday's home defeat to the Jazz. Memphis owns a 4-8 ATS mark since a seven-game hot streak in mid-January, while the Grizzlies beat down the Rockets in late December, 113-93 as six-point home 'chalk.'

Kings at Bulls - 8:05 PM EST

Sacramento has surprisingly been ATS gold recently with covers in seven of its last eight contests as the Kings begin a six-game roadie at Chicago. The Bulls finished up a nine-game trip at 6-3 SU/ATS, but things ended on a sour note with Sunday's 95-91 setback at Boston. Last season's MVP Derrick Rose is listed as 'questionable' with back spasms, as the point guard sat out the last two games. The Kings are 4-0 ATS the last four games away from home, but Sacramento owns a 3-8 ATS record as a road 'dog of seven points or more.

Suns at Nuggets - 9:05 PM EST

Denver is looking to get its groove back after snapping a five-game skid in Saturday's four-point triumph at Indiana. The Nuggets return home for just one game before hitting the road for three games starting Wednesday at Dallas. George Karl's squad is 1-8 ATS the previous nine contests at the Pepsi Center, while going 2-7 ATS the last nine games overall. Phoenix has performed very well in the role of a road underdog of late, posting a 4-1 ATS ledger, including outright wins at Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Sacramento.

Wizards at Blazers - 10:05 PM EST

Washington picked up only its sixth victory of the season in Sunday's rout of Detroit as six-point underdogs. The Wizards continue a five-game trip in Portland against a Blazers' club that is 10-3 SU/ATS as home 'chalk' this season. Portland is coming off consecutive covers at New Orleans and Dallas, but Nate McMillan's team owns an 0-5 ATS record when cashing in its last two games. However, the Blazers have compiled a 5-0 ATS mark at the Rose Garden off a road loss, while winning each game by double-digits.

Hawks at Lakers - 10:35 PM EST

Los Angeles returns home after their "Grammy Road Trip" in which the Lakers went 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS. The Lakers battle the Hawks, as Atlanta starts a five-game highway swing, while trying to snap a five-game skid at Staples Center dating back to 2006. Atlanta has won four of its past five road contests, but each victory came against below .500 teams. The Lakers are 10-2 SU and 7-5 ATS at home, while hitting the 'under' in eight of 12 games at Staples Center.

[StarDust Bum]

Knicks try to extend win streak in Toronto

NEW YORK KNICKS (13-15)

at TORONTO RAPTORS (9-20)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: New York -4½, Total: 189

Jeremy Lin and the Knicks look for their sixth straight win when they travel north of the border to take on Toronto Tuesday night.

Both teams have been quite profitable recently, as New York is 7-0-1 ATS in its past eight games, and the Raptors have won five of six ATS. New York’s offense has scored at least 99 points in four of the five games during the win streak, and the team will get a huge offensive boost on Tuesday with the return of PF Amar’e Stoudemire (18.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG). Stoudemire missed four games to mourn the death of his brother. Although Carmelo Anthony (22.3 PPG) remains out with a groin injury, the Knicks are still a superior team and Toronto just doesn’t have the offensive firepower (88.2 PPG, 4th-fewest in NBA) to keep up, especially with leading scorer Andrea Bargnani (23.5 PPG) injured. The pick here is NEW YORK to win and cover.

The FoxSheets have a three-star trend favoring the Knicks:

Play On - Road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (NEW YORK) - poor passing team, averaging <=20 assists/game on the season, on Tuesday nights. (41-13 since 1996.) (75.9%, +26.7 units. Rating = 3*).

Lin has been nothing short of incredible during the team’s five-game surge, averaging 26.8 PPG (52% FG), 8.0 APG, 4.2 RPG and 2.2 SPG. He has been a little too careless with the basketball though, committing 22 turnovers over his past four contests. Lin’s insertion into the starting lineup has also picked up his teammates. SG Iman Shumpert (10.7 PPG) is averaging 16.3 PPG (50% FG) in his past three games, including 20 in Saturday’s 100-98 win at Minnesota. SG Landry Fields (10.1 PPG) scored 19 points (8-of-10 FG) with four rebounds and four assists in the win over the Timberwolves. Although Stoudemire could be rusty after not playing for a week, he has dominated the Raptors over the years, averaging 24.4 PPG (59% FG) and 8.1 RPG for his career (16 games). This includes 26.8 PPG and 11.5 RPG in four games against them last season.

Toronto may be on a 5-1 ATS run, but the team is 2-6 SU in its past eight contests, shooting 45% or better just twice in that span. However, the Raptors played pretty well in Sunday’s 94-92 home loss to the Lakers, shooting 47.4% from the floor against a quality L.A. defensive team ranked fourth in the league in both FG Pct. defense (41.9%) and scoring defense (90.9 PPG). With Bargnani out indefinitely with a calf injury, PG Jose Calderon has really stepped up his play lately. He torched the Lakers for a career-high 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting (4-of-4 on threes), giving him 18.7 PPG and 11.7 APG in his past three games. SG DeMar DeRozan (14.8 PPG) has also assumed more of the scoring load, averaging 21.5 PPG over a four-game stretch before having an atrocious night against L.A. (8 points on 2-of-13 FG). DeRozan has scored 28.5 PPG in the past two meetings with New York, including a 90-85 win when they last squared off in Madison Square Garden on Jan. 2.

[StarDust Bum]

Lakers return home to host Hawks Tuesday

ATLANTA HAWKS (18-10)

at LOS ANGELES LAKERS (16-12)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:35 p.m. ET
Line: Los Angeles -5½, Total: 177½

With their six-game road trip finally finished, the Lakers return home Tuesday night to face Atlanta.

The Lakers are 11-2 SU (8-5 ATS) at home this year and have beaten the Hawks five straight times at Staples Center by an average of 17.0 PPG. But Atlanta has a four-game road winning streak, and allows the fewest road points in the NBA this season (89.3 PPG). Can the Lakers win big in this matchup? To find out, connect to the NBA Three At Three for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each weekday. Three At Three started off the week with a 2-1 ATS mark.

Atlanta opens a five-game road trip on Tuesday night, seeking a fifth straight win away from home. After closing out January with three straight road wins, albeit against some of the league’s worst teams in Detroit, New Orleans and Toronto, the Hawks edged the Magic 97-87 in Orlando last Friday. Atlanta is now 9-5 (8-6 ATS) on the road this season thanks to a defense holding opponents to a league-low 89.3 PPG on 42.1% FG on their home courts. But the Hawks have struggled against quality opponents, losing nine times to winning teams by an average margin of 13.1 PPG. Leading scorer Joe Johnson (18.2 PPG) is the key to this team, as he averages 20.9 PPG in the Hawks’ wins, but just 13.3 PPG in their losses. Johnson had just 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting in Sunday’s 107-87 home loss to Miami. The only other double-figure scorer was SG Willie Green (6.6 PPG), who scored a team-high 17 points (7-of-12 FG) off the bench. PF Josh Smith (15.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG) totaled 51 points and 31 rebounds in two wins, but was held to eight points on 4-of-12 shooting against the Heat. Smith has also been limited to 8.8 PPG on 37% FG in his past four meetings with the Lakers. The FoxSheets have a two-star trend backing the Hawks:

Play On - Any team (ATLANTA) - good team - outscoring their opponents by 3+ points/game, after a blowout loss by 15 points or more. (129-78 over the last 5 seasons.) (62.3%, +43.2 units. Rating = 2*).

The Lakers have certainly struggled away from home (5-10 SU), but they have been excellent at Staples Center, holding opponents to a paltry 85.2 PPG on 39.9% FG. On the offensive end, the team has scored 95.1 PPG on a blistering 47.3% FG on its home floor. Los Angeles is coming off an exciting win in Toronto on Sunday, nearly blowing an 18-point lead, but hanging on for the 94-92 victory. Kobe Bryant (NBA-high 29.3 PPG) scored 27 points including six in the final minute. Bryant has scored at least 20 points in 13 consecutive games, and has averaged a whopping 31.8 PPG against Atlanta since the 2005-06 season. Los Angeles continues to lead the league in rebounding (45.1 RPG) thanks to its pair of talented big men, Andrew Bynum (16.4 PPG, 12.5 RPG) and Pau Gasol (16.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG). Gasol has six straight double-doubles, averaging 18.5 PPG and 12.3 RPG during this stretch. This FoxSheets trend shows that the Hawks don’t usually bounce back from a lopsided home defeat:

ATLANTA is 7-21 ATS (25.0%, -16.1 Units) off a home blowout loss of 20 points or more since 1996. The average score was ATLANTA 92.2, OPPONENT 98.6 - (Rating = 1*).

[StarDust Bum]

Heat look to add to Pacers woes on Tuesday

MIAMI HEAT (22-7)

at INDIANA PACERS (17-10)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Miami -2, Total: 198½

The Heat will be looking to blow the Pacers out of the gym for a second time this season when they continue their Midwest swing with a visit to Indiana Tuesday night.

The Heat blasted Indiana at home in January, 118-83, but they could be a little gassed as they play in back-to-back-to-back nights on the road. The Heat are just 7-8 ATS away from home this year, but the Pacers have dropped four of five SU and five straight ATS. Which team will prevail on Tuesday night? To find out, connect to the NBA Three At Three for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each weekday. Three At Three started off the week with a 2-1 ATS mark.

After suffering an upset loss in Orlando to start this road trip, Miami has won each of its past three games by 17-plus points, blowing away opponents in Washington (106-89), Atlanta (107-87) and Milwaukee (114-96) over a four-night road rampage. After some early season injuries SG Dwyane Wade (22.2 PPG) is hitting his stride, averaging 25.5 PPG on 58.6% shooting from the field so far on this road trip. SF LeBron James (28.2 PPG on 54.7% FG, 8.2 RPG, 6.8 APG) has been his usual stellar self, averaging 23.3 PPG on 50.8% shooting, 7.3 RPG and 7.0 APG through the first four games of the trip. That included a dominating 35 points on 16-for-21 shooting in Milwaukee on Monday night. For his career, James has averaged 27.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 6.8 APG versus Indiana, including 33 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in the last meeting in January. The FoxSheets have a three-star trend that gives more reason to not worry about the Heat’s grueling schedule:

Play On - Road teams (MIAMI) - off a road win, extremely tired team - playing their 5th game in 7 days. (71-30 over the last 5 seasons, 70.3%, +38 units. Rating = 3*).

The Pacers have dropped five in a row ATS (2-3 SU) at home. They’ve been solid offensively over their past four games with 98.0 PPG on 45.8% FG, which are considerably better than their season numbers of 94.6 PPG and 42.9% FG. SF Danny Granger (18.6 PPG) has averaged 20.5 PPG during that span to lead six players averaging double-digit points, and PF David West (12.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG) has heated up with 19.7 PPG on 68% FG in his past three contests. West scored 22 points on 10-of-11 FG in Saturday’s loss to Denver. But they’re allowing 98.4 PPG on 46.1% shooting in the past five contests, which is considerably worse than their usually strong defense allowing just 92.4 PPG (9th-best in NBA) on 42.5% FG (7th in league) this season. The FoxSheets show a three-star trend backing the Pacers:

Play On - Home teams where the line is +3 to -3 (INDIANA) - off an upset loss as a favorite, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record. (76-36 since 1996.) (67.9%, +36.4 units. Rating = 3*).

[StarDust Bum]

Rockets visit Grizzlies on Tuesday night

HOUSTON ROCKETS (16-12)

at MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (14-14)


Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Memphis -4, Total: 190

Houston won’t miss facing Zach Randolph when it visits Memphis on Tuesday night to close out a six-game road trip.

Randolph, who’s still out with a knee injury, absolutely torched the Rockets in the teams’ past three meetings. He averaged 24.7 PPG on 62.3% FG and 15.0 RPG in the three games, including 23 points (11-for-14 FG) and nine boards in a 113-93 thrashing of Houston in December. The Grizzlies went 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in those games. But Memphis has not been sharp during its current homestand, failing to cover in three of four (2-2 SU). Can the Randolph-less Grizzlies win and cover on Tuesday? To find out, connect to the NBA Three At Three for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each weekday. Three At Three started off the week with a 2-1 ATS mark.

The Rockets are 3-2 SU and ATS in what has been an up-and-down road trip so far. They’ve scored impressive wins in Denver and Portland, while losing at Minnesota and Golden State. Although the Rockets lost Sunday at Golden State, that’s actually a good sign heading into Tuesday, as they are 8-3 ATS (7-4 SU) after an SU loss this season. All season they’ve been at the mercy of SG Kevin Martin (18.4 PPG), who was benched for extended periods of their three wins on this road trip due to poor shot selection and shaky defense. He shot 1-for-10 FG in the Minnesota loss, then played a total of 50 minutes in their three wins on this trip, going 4-for-16 from the floor. But Martin did play better at Golden State on Sunday, scoring 28 points on 7-for-16 shooting, hitting 5-of-11 threes and getting to the line frequently (where he was 9-for-10). Despite the loss, he had a plus/minus of +3 in that game. PF Luis Scola (15.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG) had 14 points and a season-high 13 boards against the Warriors while PG Kyle Lowry (14.5 PPG, 7.7 APG, 5.6 RPG) bounced back from a one-assist game in Phoenix and posted 10 points, nine assists and four steals against Golden State. The FoxSheets have a three-star trend working against the Grizzlies:

Play Against - Home favorites (MEMPHIS) - an average offensive team (92-98 PPG) against an average defensive team (92-98 PPG), after a loss by 10 points or more. (66-29 over the last 5 seasons, 69.5%, +34.1 units. Rating = 3*).

The Grizzlies continue to hang tough in the absence of Randolph, but they’re having an awfully tough time scoring of late. They haven’t topped 100 points in regulation in a game since January 21, a span of 13 games. So far on this homestand, they’re averaging just 88.8 PPG while shooting 40.9% from the field and 25.6% from three. SG O.J. Mayo (12.0 PPG) is mired in a brutal slump, averaging 8.5 PPG on 23.7% FG and 3-of-15 shooting from three in these four game. Memphis is also getting diminishing returns out of Randolph’s replacement at power forward, as PF Marreese Speights has just 7.4 PPG on 38.8% FG since joining Memphis. It’s left a heavy burden on the duo of SF Rudy Gay (18.6 PPG) and C Marc Gasol (15.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG). However, the FoxSheets show a strong trend backing the Grizzlies:

MEMPHIS is 46-24 ATS (65.7%, +19.6 Units) vs. good free throw shooting teams - making >=76% of their attempts over the last 2 seasons. The average score was MEMPHIS 99.2, OPPONENT 98.5 - (Rating = 2*).

[StarDust Bum]

No. 6 Ohio State visits Minnesota Tuesday

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (21-4, 9-3 Big Ten)

at MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (17-8, 5-7 Big Ten)


Tip-Off: Tuesday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Ohio State -7½, Total: 130

No. 6 Ohio State looks to bounce back from its first home loss of the season when it travels to Minnesota to take on a desperate Golden Gophers squad sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

The Buckeyes turned in an ugly shooting performance (26.4%) in Saturday’s 58-48 loss to Michigan State—snapping a 39-game home winning streak—and are now tied with the Spartans atop the Big Ten Conference standings. Ohio State is 0-2 ATS in its past two games after covering in the previous five, but the Buckeyes have won four consecutive meetings (3-1 ATS) with the Golden Gophers. Minnesota suffered a heart-breaking 68-61 overtime loss to Wisconsin last Thursday after clawing back from a 13-point, second-half deficit to force the extra session. The Gophers are 2-3 SU and ATS over their past five, and have are 1-7 ATS in their eight SU losses this season. Also, the Buckeyes have shown great bounce back ability this season. Following their three previous losses, Ohio State won the next game by an average margin of 24.0 PPG. Expect an angry OHIO STATE team to pull away late and cover this number.

This pair of FoxSheets trends also favor the Buckeyes:

Play On - A favorite (OHIO STATE) - after a game where a team made 28% of their shots or worse. (85-45 over the last 5 seasons.) (65.4%, +35.5 units. Rating = 2*).

Play Against - Home teams as an underdog or pick (MINNESOTA) - off a home loss against a conference rival against opponent off a loss by 10 points or more to a conference rival. (65-31 over the last 5 seasons.) (67.7%, +30.9 units. Rating = 2*).

The Buckeyes haven’t looked sharp in each of their past two games, narrowly squeaking out an 87-84 win over Purdue before falling to Michigan State on Saturday. Against Purdue, defense was the problem—allowing the Boilermakers to shoot 58 percent (11-for-19) from three-point range. Against Michigan State, OSU got beat in the paint, allowing the Spartans’ big men to score 33 of the team’s 58 points. OSU will need a big games defensively from big man Jared Sullinger (17.4 PPG, 9.3 RPG) who is coming off a triple-double of sorts with 17 points, 16 rebounds and 10 turnovers in a frustrating game versus Michigan State. What will eventually set Ohio State apart in this game is its superior guard play, with senior William Buford (15.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.0 APG) and sophomore Aaron Craft (8.4 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.2 SPG), who scored in double digits in each of his past two games (6-for-10 FG, 14-for-15 FT). Buford scored 29 points against Purdue, but was awful on Saturday, scoring just four points on 2-of-12 FG against MSU.

Williams Arena has proven to be a difficult road environment for visiting opponents, but Minnesota has struggled against the elite teams in the Big Ten this season—with its only impressive win coming on the road in a 77-74 victory over Indiana on January 12. A victory on Tuesday would give a huge boost to the Gophers’ NCAA Tournament résumé. Minnesota will need a great team-rebounding effort against an OSU squad that ranks second in the conference in rebounds per game (36.7). The X-factor for the Gophers will be versatile 6-foot-7 forward Rodney Williams (10.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG). His ability to defend inside (1.6 blocks per game, 1.5 steals per game) will be important, especially against the Buckeyes, who will run their offense through Sullinger almost every trip down the floor. The Gophers will also need to hit some threes, which Julian Welch (10.1 PPG) has done beautifully this year at 45%. The team shoots a respectable 36% from behind the arc on the season, but only averages 5.2 made threes per game.

[StarDust Bum]

No. 14 Florida visits Alabama Tuesday

FLORIDA GATORS (19-6)

at ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (16-8)


Tip-Off: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Florida -2½, Total: 132½

No. 14 Florida visits Alabama Tuesday night in an SEC matchups of two short-handed teams.

The Gators will be without G Mike Rosario (7.9 PPG) for the second straight game because of a hip injury, and F Will Yeguete who will not play this week after suffering a concussion. The Crimson Tide will be missing their two best players, as forwards JaMychal Green (14.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG) and Tony Mitchell (13.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG) were both suspended in two separate incidents by head coach Anthony Grant for undisclosed reasons. Who will prevail in this SEC clash? For the answer, check out the College Basketball Weekday 6-Pack for picks covering all the big games in college basketball each week.

Florida spreads the wealth on offense as five players average 10+ points. Leading scorer Kenny Boynton (17.5 PPG, 44% 3-pt FG) has been lighting up the scoreboard in his past four games, averaging 19.0 PPG thanks to 15-for-31 shooting from downtown. Freshman Bradley Beal (14.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG) has scored 9+ points in each of his past 10 games, averaging 16.4 PPG and 7.2 RPG over his past five contests. But not all the Gators have been playing well. Point guard Erving Walker (12.0 PPG, 4.8 APG) is coming off a miserable week, totaling just nine points (4-of-16 FG), three assists and four turnovers in 60 minutes during a pair of losses to Kentucky and Tennessee. C Patric Young (10.5 PPG, team-high 6.5 RPG) has been solid this season, but he is currently playing through a sore ankle. At 6-foot-9, he has the ability to dominate Alabama’s thin frontcourt on Tuesday. The Gators are 3-1 (SU and ATS) in their past four trips to Tuscaloosa where Alabama is a dismal 1-6 ATS this year. This two-star FoxSheets expects the Gators to win and cover:

Play On - A road team (FLORIDA) - after allowing 75 points or more 2 straight games, with just two starters returning from last season. (190-129 over the last 5 seasons.) (59.6%, +48.1 units. Rating = 2*).

Although Alabama is missing its top two scorers and rebounders, the team does get a boost with the expected reinstatements of guards Trevor Releford (12.4 PPG, 3.1 APG) and Andrew Steele (5.8 PPG), who were both suspended for Saturday’s 67-58 loss at LSU. Rodney Cooper (5.0 PPG) was the de-facto top scoring option against the Tigers, scoring 28 points on 10-of-19 FG. F Nick Jacobs (5.9 PPG) was the only other player with more than four points, scoring 14 points and grabbing four rebounds. The Tide are just 2-5 ATS after an SU loss and 3-7 ATS after an ATS defeat this season. However, this five-star FoxSheets coaching trend also supports picking the Tide:

Anthony Grant is 10-0 ATS (+10.0 Units) in home games versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game after 15+ games as the coach of ALABAMA. The average score was ALABAMA 69.2, OPPONENT 56.4 - (Rating = 5*).

[StarDust Bum]

Wild look to end losing skid hosting Ducks

ANAHEIM DUCKS (22-24-9, 53 points)

at MINNESOTA WILD (25-22-8, 58 points)


Puck drops: Tuesday, 7:35 p.m. EDT
Line: Anaheim -125, Minnesota +105, Total: 5.5

The Wild look to snap a four-game losing streak when they host the Ducks in the final meeting of the season between these two Western Conference foes on Tuesday night.

Exactly two months ago, the Wild were the biggest surprise in the league as they sat atop the NHL standings with 44 points. What’s happened since is just as—if not more—inexplicable than their hot start: the Wild have been the worst team in hockey with an abysmal 5-15-5 record. Minnesota has scored more than one goal in just one of its past five games, and relies solely on sharp goaltending and defense to pick up wins. Backup goalie Josh Harding (9-7-3, 2.55 GAA, .920 SV Pct.) will get the nod for the Wild—his first start since January 31. On the flip side, the Ducks have been one of the league’s best teams since the beginning of January, boasting a 12-3-3 record in 2012 thanks, in part, to new coach Bruce Boudreau. G Jonas Hiller—winner of nine of his past 14 starts—is one of the hottest netminders in the NHL and should make his 15th consecutive start Wednesday. Despite Anaheim’s less than stellar 7-11-7 road record, the road team won each of the first three games of this season series, and the Ducks are simply playing much better hockey right now. Take ANAHEIM with these short odds to pick up the win.

This strong FoxSheets trend also favors the Ducks:

ANAHEIM is 33-16 ATS (67.3%, +16.3 Units) after having won 2 of their last 3 games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ANAHEIM 3.4, OPPONENT 2.6 - (Rating = 2*).

Last year’s MVP—RW Corey Perry—played the part on Sunday, potting a hat trick in Anaheim’s 5-3 road win over Columbus. Amazingly, the Ducks’ leading scorer is 18-year-veteran Teemu Selanne (18 G, 33 A). Even at age 41, Selanne has shown no signs of slowing down, playing with stars like Perry and C Ryan Getzlaf (8 G, 31 A).

Anaheim’s defense is allowing 2.9 goals per game (24th in NHL) and has not received the same offensive contributions from puck-mover Lubomir Visnovsky (5 G, 17 A)—who led the league in points by defensemen last year. The Ducks blueline still features some nice pieces, though, with 20-year-old Cam Fowler (3 G, 16 A) and veteran Francois Beauchemin (6 G, 12 A).

The Wild’s descent is all the more disappointing given the promising start to the season, but given the lack of offensive depth throughout this lineup, it shouldn’t be all that surprising. Injuries have hampered the forward unit throughout the season, as evidenced by the 2.2 goals per game average (29th in NHL). Minnesota features no players above 40 points, with RW Dany Heatley (18 G, 21 A) leading the way.

The one strength of the Wild is their defense, which allows 2.5 goals per game (8th in NHL). And despite the two-month long tailspin, Minnesota still trails eighth-place Phoenix by only five points, with two games in hand.