Announcement

**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:25 AM

Monday's Betting tips: Melo expected to play, chemistry in danger

Who’s hot

NBA: Golden State is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 meetings with the Clippers.

NBA: The under is 8-3 in Atlanta’s last 11 games.

NBA: The Spurs are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games.

NHL: The Hurricanes are 5-1 in their last six home games.

NHL: The under is 11-3-1 in Ottawa’s last 15 road games.

NCAAB: UConn is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games following a double-digit home loss.

NCAAB: Marist is 5-0 ATS in its last five games.

Who’s not

NBA: The Jazz are 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on zero days’ rest.

NBA: The Suns are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games vs. teams with losing road records.

NHL: Ottawa is 3-8 in its last 11 games.

NHL: The over is 2-9 in the last 11 Washington-Carolina games.

NCAAB: St. John’s is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games following a SU win.

NCAAB: Texas is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 home games.

Key stat

27.9 – That’s St. John’s shooting percentage from beyond the arc, by far the worst in the Big East. The Johnnies are 5-point home favorites over DePaul, which shoots 34.1 percent on 3-pointers, good for eighth in the conference.

Injuries that shouldn’t be overlooked

The Spurs are expected to be without Manu Ginobili and big man Tiago Splitter when they visit the Jazz on Monday. Both got hurt during Saturday’s overtime win over the Clippers. Ginobili strained his oblique, and Splitter sprained his right calf. Saturday marked Ginobili’s fourth game back since he missed 22 games with a broken left hand. He was averaging 12.1 points and 3.3 assists while shooting 55 percent from the field.

Games of the day

Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls (NA)

New Jersey Nets at New York Knicks (-9.5, 194.5)

Notable quotable

“It’s frustrating. When you think you have it, you think you’re going to make a change and then you fall back to where you are just at. It’s like we take a few steps forward and then we take a few steps back.” – forward Alex Oriakhi of the UConn Huskies, who visit Villanova on Monday after losing 79-64 at home to Marquette on Saturday.

Notes and tips

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (groin) is expected to play Monday against the Nets. "Knowing Melo and knowing where he is, he'll play," coach Mike D’Antoni said. It remains to be seen whether Melo will mesh with the new-look, unselfish Knicks led by Jeremy Lin.

The Flyers acquired defenseman Pavel Kubina from the Lightning for a pair of draft picks and a minor league player. Kubina, 34, is slated to be an unrestricted free agent July 1. He has 110 goals and 382 points in 953 career games. He was the second defenseman Philly acquired in the last week, after picking up Nicklas Grossman from the Stars. The NHL trade deadline is Feb. 27.

Embattled Illinois coach Bruce Weber says he won’t resign and wants to finish his career with the Fighting Illini. His team has lost four straight and seven of eight, and speculation is rampant he’ll be fired. "That's not even a question, to be honest," Weber said when asked whether he’ll resign. "What has happened? We're 16-10. We're still in the NCAA field. We've had some tough losses. I think that's way beyond." Illinois visits Ohio State on Tuesday.

Rockets forward Jordan Hill sprained his MCL in practice Saturday and will miss at least two weeks. The second-year player has started seven games and appeared in 29, averaging 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds.

**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:27 AM

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Top six teams in the college basketball RPI, as I type this........

6) Kansas-- Have revenge game with Missouri coming up.

5) North Carolina-- Have revenge game with Duke coming up.

4) Duke-- Trailed by 10+ in 2nd half in three of last five games.

3) Kentucky-- SOS is only 57; are they battle tested enough?

2) Michigan State-- Took care of Ohio State in Columbus.

1) Syracuse-- Undefeated with Melo manning the middle.

****************

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Happy Presidents' Day........

13) Kevin Durant scored 51 points, Russell Westbrook 40 as the Thunder won a great NBA game 124-118 in OT over Denver Sunday night. Serge Ibaka blocked 11 shots and had a triple/double for Oklahoma City, which had a 20-0 run that bridged the 2nd/3rd quarters.

12) Durant/Westbrook's combined 91 points were more than six NBA teams scored on Sunday. They do need to develop more scoring options, but in the meantime, they're a lot of fun to watch.

11) Denver's Chris Anderson was +17 in 29 minutes, scoring 11 points with six rebounds; he was on floor in crunchtime, the ultimate compliment for any player, but with all his tattoos and that beard, he is a scary dude to look at. He is the Australian Rodman, I guess. A good player.

10) Chris Mullin is fun to listen to, but he needs to work on talking little louder, or maybe I need a freakin' hearing aide, because I have problems understanding some of HBO's Luck too, but then I listen to Dick Vitale scream and holler and I realize my hearing is still pretty good.

9) The Knicks' bandwagon is taking on so many people that I'm stopping writing about them. Memo to all directors of NBA broadcasts; it is really annoying to show Spike Lee 25 times a game. Trust me on this. He gets on air more than Mike D'Antoni.

8) Bill Haas won a 3-man playoff at the LA Open; Mickelson/Bradley, in losing the playoff, earned $607,800 less than Haas, but they all did pretty well this week. Haas won the $10M FedEx Cup LY, so he's doing OK.

7) Not doing so well is Isiah Thomas, who is now 25-63 as coach down at Florida International. Where does FIU turn if they fire an NBA legend?

6) Charlotte Bobcats lost 108-73 to Indiana, 7th time in this short season they've lost by 30+ points. They're looking like the favorite to win NBA Draft Lottery this spring. They should draft a front office.

5) The lesson learned in the last two notes? Michael Jordan/Isiah Thomas were both great players, but that doesn't make them great coaches or even mediocre executives. Guys who were cruddy players but maybe studied the game more do a much better job. You can look it up.

4) In an unrelated item, we saw that Lamar lost a Bracket Buster game at George Mason Saturday, and were reminded that Pat Knight is now coach of the Cardinals, after getting canned at Texas Tech. Knight is 17-10, 8-4 in his first year at Lamar, tied for 3rd in Southland Conference. His team played the #29 non-conference schedule, so they'll be interesting to follow when the Southland Tournament begins next month.

3) Ersan Ilyasova, averaging 9.4 ppg this season, grabbed 25 rebounds and scored 29 points in Milwaukee's 92-85 win in New Jersey. Its very, very hard to grab 25 rebounds in any game, much less an NBA game. Ilyasova averages 7.9 rebounds a game.

2) Golfer Dustin Johnson's grandfather was an All-American basketball player at South Carolina, and was drafted by the Lakers 50 years ago.

1) Every high school basketball player should watch film of a player on Colorado State named Pierce Hornung; he's not the best player the Rams have, but he might be the best teammate. He gets loose balls, he runs the floor, he defends, he rebounds, he is a tough human who does things that help his team win. Every winning team needs players like him.

**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:27 AM

LVH releases MLB win totals

The LVH SuperBook on Sunday became the first Vegas sportsbook to release MLB win totals, and no team drew more immediate action than the Nationals.

Washington opened at 82.5 wins and was immediately bet up to 84.5.

“People really like this team,” assistant book manager Chris Bennett said, noting some analysts are picking the Nationals to win the wild card. “The No. 1 reason is Stephen Strasburg. Then they added Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson, they’ve got Jordan Zimmerman. Their starting pitching looks by far the best it’s ever been.

“It’s a tough division, but this is clearly the best Nationals team they’ve ever had.”

Bettors also pounced on the Twins under, dropping their total from 75 to 73.

Atlantis casino in Reno was first up with MLB win totals for the sixth straight year. Earlier Sunday, BetOnline became the first offshore book to release them.

BetOnline opened Washington at 81 (-120 under) and remained there -- 3.5 wins lower than LVH – Sunday night.

There were other big differences, too.

LVH opened the Phillies at 92.5 and moved them to 93. BetOnline had the Phillies at 95.5. LVH pegged the Angels at 92.5, three wins higher than BetOnline. And LVH listed the Red Sox at 89.5, two wins higher than BetOnline.

LVH offers -110 on its totals and is taking maximum bets of $1,000.

MLB season win totals from LVH SuperBook

Arizona Diamondbacks: 86
Atlanta Braves: 87.5, moved to 87
Baltimore Orioles: 69.5
Boston Red Sox: 89.5
Chicago Cubs: 74.5
Chicago White Sox: 74
Cincinnati Reds: 86.5
Cleveland Indians: 86.5
Colorado Rockies: 82, moved to 81
Detroit Tigers: 92.5
Florida Marlins: 84.5
Houston Astros: 64.5, moved to 64
Kansas City Royals 80.5
Los Angeles Angels: 92.5
Los Angeles Dodgers: 81
Milwaukee Brewers: 83.5
Minnesota Twins: 75, moved to 73
New York Mets: 70.5
New York Yankees: 93.5
Oakland A’s: 71
Philadelphia Phillies: 92.5, moved to 93
Pittsburgh Pirates: 73
San Diego Padres: 73.5
San Francisco Giants: 87.5
Seattle Mariners: 72
St. Louis Cardinals: 82.5, moved to 83
Tampa Bay Rays: 87
Texas Rangers: 91.5
Toronto Blue Jays: 80
Washington Nationals: 82.5, moved to 84.5

**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:34 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Monday, February 20

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CONNECTICUT (16 - 10) at VILLANOVA (11 - 15) - 2/20/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CONNECTICUT is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) in all games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 7-14 ATS (-8.4 Units) in all lined games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when the total is 130 to 139.5 this season.
CONNECTICUT is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in road lined games this season.
CONNECTICUT is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 3 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in all games this season.
VILLANOVA is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
VILLANOVA is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) as an underdog this season.
VILLANOVA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in all home games this season.
VILLANOVA is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) in home lined games this season.
VILLANOVA is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 1-12 ATS (-12.2 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) off a loss against a conference rival over the last 2 seasons.
VILLANOVA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after failing to cover the spread in 3 or more consecutive games this season.
VILLANOVA is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
VILLANOVA is 1-1 against the spread versus CONNECTICUT over the last 3 seasons
CONNECTICUT is 2-0 straight up against VILLANOVA over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BAYLOR (22 - 5) at TEXAS (17 - 10) - 2/20/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BAYLOR is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BAYLOR is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
BAYLOR is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BAYLOR is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) as a favorite this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BAYLOR is 4-2 against the spread versus TEXAS over the last 3 seasons
BAYLOR is 4-2 straight up against TEXAS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DEPAUL (11 - 15) at ST JOHNS (11 - 16) - 2/20/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST JOHNS is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST JOHNS is 4-0 against the spread versus DEPAUL over the last 3 seasons
ST JOHNS is 4-0 straight up against DEPAUL over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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FAIRFIELD (16 - 11) at MARIST (11 - 16) - 2/20/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
FAIRFIELD is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.
FAIRFIELD is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games in February games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
FAIRFIELD is 4-2 against the spread versus MARIST over the last 3 seasons
FAIRFIELD is 6-0 straight up against MARIST over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TEXAS SOUTHERN (9 - 15) at MISS VALLEY ST (14 - 12) - 2/20/2012, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MISS VALLEY ST is 1-0 against the spread versus TEXAS SOUTHERN over the last 3 seasons
MISS VALLEY ST is 3-2 straight up against TEXAS SOUTHERN over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, February 20

UConn is 5-9 in its last 14 games, losing last four road games by 3-14-18-21 points; players were critical of each other in press after home loss to Marquette Saturday, always a red flag. Villanova lost five of last six games and 15 of last 22; they were up 20 on Notre Dame Saturday, up 11 with 5:30 left, before losing in OT- they're 1-14 in last 15 games vs top 100 opponents (UConn is still #39).. Big East home underdogs of 3 or less points are 7-6 against the spread.

Texas got outscored 27-16 on foul line in a 76-71 loss at Baylor Jan 28, as Longhorns other than Brown (11-22) shot 13-38 from floor (34.2%). Texas is 5-2 at home in conference, losing to Kansas/Missouri- they had 4-game win streak snapped in upset loss at Oklahoma State in last game Saturday. Baylor lost three of last four games, is 5-5 in last ten after its 17-0 start, but three of their last four losses were in Waco. Big X home teams are 9-4-1 against the spread when the number is 3 or less points.

St John's lost 11 of last 15 games, but they did win 87-81 at DePaul on Feb 1, with both teams shooting 50%+ and Harrison going 7-11 behind arc. Red Storm won despite Harkness going 2-15 from floor- that game started Blue Demons' current 6-game losing streak. DePaul lost three in row on road by 8-8-26 points- they had Louisville by 15 in the first half Saturday, lost in OT. Big East home favorites of less than 7 points are 13-21 against the spread this season.

Fairfield had six-game win streak snapped in Milwaukee Saturday; Stags hammered Marist 81-53 at home in first meeting Jan 29, making 12-18 from arc while forcing 20 Marist turnovers. Red Foxes won four of last five games after winning Bracket Buster game at Maine; they won two in row at home, upetting Loyola in last home games. MAAC single digit home underdogs are 7-12 against the spread. Fairfield is 4-2 on MAAC road, with wins by 4-9-12-17 points.

NCAAB

Monday, February 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
FAIRFIELD vs. MARIST
Fairfield is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Fairfield is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Marist is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Marist is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games

7:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. VILLANOVA
Connecticut is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Connecticut is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Villanova is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Villanova is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

9:00 PM
DEPAUL vs. ST. JOHN'S
DePaul is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of DePaul's last 5 games on the road
St. John's is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of St. John's last 9 games

9:00 PM
BAYLOR vs. TEXAS
Baylor is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Baylor is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Texas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

10:10 PM
UC DAVIS vs. SEATTLE
UC Davis is 1-14 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of UC Davis's last 5 games on the road
No trends available

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NCAAB

Monday, February 20

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College funds: Monday's best NCAAB bets
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Connecticut Huskies at Villanova Wildcats (NA)

UConn point guard Shabazz Napier is publicly questioning his teammates’ heart, and the Huskies could become the 20th defending champ to miss the NCAA Tournament.

They’ll again play without coach Jim Calhoun (back).

But the Wildcats will be shorthanded: the Big East’s No. 3 scorer Maalik Wyans (knee) is doubtful, and key reserve guard James Bell (ankle) has been ruled out. Bell is the team’s top 3-point shooter (35.8 percent).

This is the first meeting since Kemba Walker’s floater with 2.5 seconds left gave UConn a 61-59 win in Storrs last season.

Huskies sophomore Jeremy Lamb has emerged from a funk and is averaging 18.3 points on 53.0 percent shooting over the last three games.

Villanova is 6-21 ATS in its last 27 Big East games, and the road team is 4-1 ATS in the last four meetings.

Pick: Huskies

DePaul Blue Demons at St. John’s Red Storm (-5, 158.5 )

St. John’s last Big East win came against DePaul, 87-81 in Chicago on Feb. 1. Freshman guard D’Angelo Harrison led the Red Storm with a career-high 29 points.

The Blue Demons have lost six straight and 11 of 12, but turned in a commendable effort Saturday against Louisville. They led for most of regulation before falling in overtime.

Sophomore forward Cleveland Melvin (17.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and sophomore guard Brandon Young (14.8 ppg, 4.8 apg) lead the underrated Blue Demons’ offense.

St. John’s has averaged just 60.5 points over its last four games.

The road team is 5-2 ATS in the last five meetings.

Pick: DePaul

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:42 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, February 20

Hot teams
-- Senators won three of their last four games.
-- Carolina won four of its last five home games.

Cold teams
-- Islanders are 1-5 in game following their last six wins.
-- Washington lost six of its last eight road games.

Totals
-- Eight of last ten Ottawa road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in Washington's last four games.

Series records
-- Road team won last four Ottawa-Islander games.
-- Washington won eight of last eleven games against Carolina.

Back-to-Back
-- None.

NHL

Monday, February 20

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
OTTAWA vs. NY ISLANDERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
Ottawa is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
NY Islanders are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Ottawa
NY Islanders are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Ottawa

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CAROLINA
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Washington's last 11 games when playing Carolina
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Carolina's last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Carolina is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

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NHL

Monday, February 20

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Pucking the trends: This week's best NHL betting trends
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Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.

HOT TEAM: Phoenix Coyotes

The Coyotes have been one of the more inconsistent teams in the entire league all season, but February has been kind to Phoenix. Radim Vrbata scored his career-high 28th goal on Saturday en route to a 2-1 win over Dallas, which was Phoenix's eighth consecutive victory. In fact, the Coyotes haven't lost a game in February.

Phoenix is now 29-21-9, and is second in Pacific Division. Yet, in the wild and whacky Western Conference playoff race, through Saturday's action, the Coyotes were only in seventh place.

But they are in the tournament, as of now, which is the most important thing. Ray Whitney has 53 points, Vrbata has 49, Shane Doan has 16 goals, and if the season ended on Saturday, the Coyotes would take on Vancouver in the first round. That would make for one heck a playoff series.

COLD TEAM: Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers were pushed around at home on Saturday by the Penguins, 6-4, and it continued a disturbing a trend. Philadelphia has lost home games on three straight Saturday afternoons -- all to rivals: the Devils and Rangers before Pittsburgh -- and they have now lost three of four games.

Forward James van Riemsdyk is back now, after missing 15 games because of a concussion, and perhaps that will trigger something for Philadelphia. All the Flyers know now, is that they need something, anything to get it going.

Through Saturday, Philadelphia had 71 points, was tied with Pittsburgh, and New Jersey was just a point behind. Not a good situation. And with more talent than most of the teams in the East, the Flyers just shouldn’t be in that kind of a tug-of-war.

OVER PLAY: Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins posted an easy over in that aforementioned 6-4 win Saturday over Philadelphia. And even without injured superstar Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh is still a quality over buy.

Headed into Sunday’s matinee game versus Buffalo, the Penguins were carrying a 4-1-1 over streak. It coincided with a victorious stretch, as well, as Pittsburgh had won three of four headed into the date with the Sabres. A week before the Flyers game, the Penguins flexed their offensive muscle and blasted Winnipeg, 8-5, for another over.

Evgeni Malkin had 70 points and James Neal had 56, before Sunday, as the Penguins have clearly survived without Crosby, and they are in position for a healthy playoff run with or without him.

UNDER PLAY: Calgary Flames

Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff had 28 stops and forward Michael Cammalleri scored a goal as Calgary defeated Los Angeles, 1-0, on Saturday for another easy Flames' under that helped them immeasurably in the Western Conference playoff race.

But for totals players, that should not matter. Playoffs or not, the Flames are an above-average under play and you'd be wise to keep them on your radar.

In a 10-game span that ended with Saturday’s win, the Flames went 6-2-2 under and held the opponent to one goal or less three times in that stretch. And Kiprusoff now has 44 career shutouts, and four this season, so this may be a sign of things to come.

SURVEYING THE SCHEDULE:

** Fighting like mad to catch Detroit for the No. 1 seed in the West, the Canucks are in the midst of a tough run. Sunday's game at Edmonton was the back end of back-to-back games, and over a seven-day stretch that opened on Saturday against Toronto, and closes on Friday, against the Devils, Vancouver has five games in seven days.

** The Rangers are in the midst of a busy run, as well. Sunday's tilt with the Columbus Blue Jackets triggered a nine-day run that will see five games. Included in that, is a back-to-back stretch, on Friday and Saturday, against the Islanders and Sabres.

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NHL

Monday, February 20

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Ice picks: Monday's best NHL bets
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Ottawa Senators at New York Islanders (-115, 5.5)

Two of the hottest forwards in the Eastern Conference do battle Monday afternoon when Jason Spezza leads the surging Ottawa Senators into Long Island for a meeting with John Tavares and the Islanders.

Spezza has been sensational during a five-game scoring streak, recording five goals and eight assists. Ottawa has gone 3-1-1 in those contests to move back into second place in the Northeast Division.

Tavares is coming off a three-point effort in the Islanders' 4-3 triumph over Carolina on Saturday night.

Ottawa outscored Tampa Bay and Florida 10-2 in consecutive victories last week, and has had four days of rest to prepare for this one.

New York has alternated wins and losses throughout the month of February.

Ottawa is 18-7-3 in the last 25 meetings in New York.

Pick: Senators

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes (NA)

When the season began, the thought of the Washington Capitals being on the outside of the playoff race was unfathomable. With just seven weeks left in the regular season, that's the reality the Capitals face as they take on the division-rival Hurricanes in Carolina on Monday night.

Since opening the season with seven consecutive victories, Washington has looked mostly ordinary and now finds itself in a battle for the Southeast Division lead with Florida and Winnipeg.

The Hurricanes are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Islanders over the weekend, a defeat that ended a six-game points streak (4-0-2).

It's been a terrific month in an otherwise underwhelming season for Carolina, with victories over Boston and San Jose among the highlights. Monday represents the opener of a six-game homestand that could ultimately decide whether the Hurricanes still have playoff life, or should start planning for next season.

Washington won the first three meetings but Carolina gained a measure of revenge on Jan. 20 with a 3-0 home victory.

The Hurricanes have won five of their last six home games, and are 8-3 in their last 11 games playing on one day's rest.

Pick: Hurricanes

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:45 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, February 20

Hot Teams
-- Bulls won seven of last nine games, but are 2-5 vs spread in their last seven home games.
-- Knicks won eight of their last nine games, covered seven of last eight home contests.
-- Dallas won six of last seven games (1-4-1 last six as home favorite).
-- Orlando won/covered four of its last five games.
-- Thunder won its last nine home games (6-3 vs spread). New Orleans won/covered its last three games.
-- Houston won/covered five of last seven home games. Grizzlies won last four games, last two by one point each.
-- Spurs won their last seven road games.
-- Minnesota covered seven of its last ten road games.
-- Lakers won/covered their last four home games.
-- Clippers won seven of their last nine road games.

Cold Teams
-- Hawks lost six of their last nine games.
-- Nets lost nine of last ten games, but covered of last seven on road.
-- Celtics lost five of their last six games.
-- Bucks lost their last five home games (0-5 vs spread).
-- Jazz lost six of their last eight games.
-- Denver lost eight of last ten games, covered four of last five, but they are 1-5 vs spread in last six games as a home favorite.
-- Phoenix lost four of its last five games. Wizards covered twice in their last nine games.
-- Portland lost five of last seven road games (3-5 as road underdog).
-- Warriors lost last three games, by 2-23-1 point.

Wear and Tear
-- Hawks: 2nd game/5 nites. Bulls: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Nets: 3rd nite in row, 5th/6 nites. Knicks: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Celtics: 4th game/6 nites. Mavericks: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Magic: 3rd game/4 nites. Bucks: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Hornets: Had last two nites off. Thunder: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Grizzlies: 5th game/7 nites. Rockets: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Spurs: 2nd game/5 nites. Jazz: 6th game/9 nites.
-- Wolves: 3rd game/4 nites. Nuggets: 5th game/7 nites.
-- Wizards: Had last two nites off. Suns: 6th game/8 nites.
-- Blazers: 5th game/7 nites. Lakers: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Clippers: 4th game/6 nites. Warriors: 6th game/9 nites.

Totals
-- Five of last six Atlanta road games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five New Jersey games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Boston games.
-- Four of last five Orlando road games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Oklahoma City games stayed under total.
-- Seven of last nine Memphis road games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five San Antonio games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Washington road games went over total.
-- Three of last four Laker games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Golden State games stayed under the total.

**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:48 AM

NBA

Monday, February 20

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Trend Report
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4:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Chicago's last 15 games at home

7:30 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. NEW YORK
New Jersey is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
New Jersey is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of New York's last 12 games when playing New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New York's last 9 games when playing at home against New Jersey

8:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. MILWAUKEE
Orlando is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Orlando is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Milwaukee's last 12 games at home

8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. DALLAS
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games
Dallas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. HOUSTON
Memphis is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Memphis's last 15 games on the road
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis
Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Memphis

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
New Orleans is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New Orleans's last 7 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games when playing New Orleans
Oklahoma City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing New Orleans

9:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DENVER
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 12 games when playing on the road against Denver
Minnesota is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Denver is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home

9:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. UTAH
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Utah
San Antonio is 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games
Utah is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Utah is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

9:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PHOENIX
Washington is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Phoenix is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Phoenix is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Washington

10:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. LA LAKERS
Portland is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 9 games
LA Lakers are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games when playing Portland
LA Lakers are 13-1 SU in their last 14 games at home

10:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Golden State's last 22 games at home

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:49 AM

NBA

Monday, February 20

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Game of the day: Hawks at Bulls
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls (NA)

THE STORY: The Chicago Bulls suffered a big letdown without Derrick Rose on Saturday. Luckily, the reigning MVP appears to be on his way back to the lineup. Rose, who has missed the last five games due to back spasms, participated in Sunday’s practice and will be a game-time decision when the Bulls host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Atlanta has dropped six of its last nine games while averaging 87.0 points. The Hawks are 1-2 on their current five-game road trip, with Chicago and New York rounding out the journey.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN, SSO (Atlanta), CSCH (Chicago)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (19-12): Atlanta is limping into the All-Star break with an offense that rarely gets out of first gear. After reaching the century mark for the first time this month in a 101-99 win at Phoenix on Wednesday, the Hawks shot 41.1 percent in a 97-77 loss at Portland on Saturday. All-Star guard Joe Johnson has struggled more than most, shooting 19.2 percent (5 for 26) from 3-point range over the last four games and failing to reach 50 percent from the field in any game this month. Atlanta beat Chicago, 109-94, at home on Jan. 7, but fell in Chicago, 76-74, four days earlier.

ABOUT THE BULLS (25-8): Chicago was riding high after beating the Boston Celtics without Rose on Thursday, but crashed back to earth on Saturday. The lowly New Jersey Nets began the game with a 22-3 run and ended up cruising to a 97-85 win. The Bulls were torched by Deron Williams, who would have drawn the assignment on Rose. Chicago has two more games before the All-Star break and could elect to let Rose rest the entire time. C.J. Watson has gotten the starts in his place and has shot 34.4 percent from the floor while averaging 12.0 points and 3.6 assists.

TRENDS:

The Hawks are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games playing on one day's rest.
The Bulls are 31-13-1 ATS in their last 45 games following a SU loss.
The Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.
The under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Chicago.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Chicago beat Atlanta in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring.

2. Rose has averaged 22.8 points and 6.6 assists in 12 career games against the Hawks.

3. Johnson has put up 18.6 points on 42.1 percent shooting in 32 career games against the Bulls.

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:50 AM

NBA

Monday, February 20

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Real MVP: Most valuable players to NBA pointspreads
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On Jan. 10 Derrick Rose scored 31 points and dished out 11 assists in a win at Minnesota. He said afterward his toe injury was a non-issue and he’d play the next night against Washington.

But late the next afternoon, word leaked that Rose was in a walking boot.

The line plunged 2.5 to 4 points, depending on the book.

“We sent out 15 the day before, when we had Derrick Rose playing,” said Pete Korner, founder of The Sports Club oddsmaking service. “It got bet down to 11.5. That’s one very typical example of an overreaction.

“First of all, Derrick Rose probably wasn’t going to play 40 minutes against a team they’re supposed to blow out. And Chicago’s overall team strength compensated.”

The Bulls won 78-64, covering the adjusted number.

It’s hard to pinpoint a star’s line value. Every spread depends on multiple situational factors.

Of course, that won’t stop us from presenting our annual list of NBA players who affect pointspreads the most. (See the chart below.)

But experts we interviewed say the list requires context, lots of it. Here’s what you should keep in mind:

** A star player is worth more to the line in pick-‘em type of games than double-digit spreads like the Jan. 11 Wizards-Bulls game.

“The value of these star players is more important against good teams as the backups and surrounding players often step up when a star is missing, which enables the team to still outperform a bad opponent,” professional handicapper Steve Merril said.

** Teams compensate for a star player’s injury much better in a one-game scenario than they do for extended absences.

“When it comes across that a star isn’t going to play, the market always overreacts and almost all the value is on the team with the injury,” LVH Superbook manager Ed Salmons said. “I’ve seen it over and over. The team that has the injury always seems to cover.”

That doesn’t stop books from moving the lines.

“That’s what the market demands,” Salmons said. “You just go with the market and it is what it is.”

** Perception is everything.

“We have to weigh a player’s effectiveness along with his value to the average bettor,” Korner said. “How enthusiastic is someone going to be to bet on or against a team when a player like that is missing? In hockey, people don’t know the good players as much. They don’t run to the counter when a key hockey player is out.”

** It’s equally important to identify less heralded players who don’t move lines much but are vital to their teams. “The line is often not adjusted more than a point or so when these guys are out, but should be as the team is often much weaker,” said Merril, a Covers expert.

He listed OKC’s Serge Ibaka (3.0 blocks), Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio (8.6 assists, 2.4 steals), and Memphis’ Mike Conley (6.9 assists, 2.5 steals ) among these gems.

“Point guards are very important and it can often disrupt the whole team when they are gone,” Merril said. “Similar to losing a starting QB in football.”

The Knicks’ Jeremy Lin isn’t among our top 11 line movers, but already would cause up to a two-point adjustment if he were suddenly ruled out.

LeBron James retains the No. 1 spot in spread value.

“LBJ is a true triple threat,” Sportsbook.com oddsmaker Michael Pierce said. “He can get 40 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds in a game and no one would be surprised. He’s just that good. He’s the second leading scorer in the game, 12th in assists and 25th in rebounds. Those are stellar numbers. No wonder he is the 5/7 favorite to win MVP.”

LeBron James, Miami Heat (28.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 6.7 apg; 1-0 ATS record without him this season; teams are 15-14-1 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 5.5-6 points (Pierce), 4-5 (Merril), 4 (Korner).

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder (26.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg; hasn’t missed a game this season; teams are 8-5-1 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 5-5.5 points (Pierce), 4 (Korner), 3-4 (Merril).

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (28.9 ppg, 5.0 apg; hasn’t missed a game this season, team is 49-53-2 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 5-5.5 (Pierce), 4 points (Korner), 3-4 points (Merril).

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic (20.3 ppg, 15.3 rpg, 2.2 bpg; hasn’t missed a game this season; team is 5-3 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 4.5-5 points (Pierce), 4 (Korner), 3-4 (Merril).

Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers (21.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg; hasn’t missed a game). Spread value: 4.5-5 points (Pierce), 3-4 (Korner), 3 (Merril).

Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves (25.8 ppg, 14.2 rpg; 1-1 ATS without him this season; 15-19 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 4.5-5 points (Pierce), 3-3.5 (Korner), 3 (Merril).

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks (18.6 ppg; 2-2 ATS without him this season; 43-56 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 4-4.5 (Pierce), 3-4 (Merril), 3 (Korner).

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls (22.0 ppg, 7.8 apg; 5-5 ATS without him this season, 10-6 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 5-5.5 points (Pierce), 3.5-4 (Korner), 3 (Merril)

Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers (18.2 ppg, 8.8 apg, 2.3 spg; 3-2 ATS without him this season; teams are 42-29-1 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 4-4.5 points (Pierce), 3 (Merril, Korner)

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns (14.5 ppg, 10.9 apg; 0-3 ATS without him this season; teams are 42-63 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 3 points (Merril), 2-2.5 (Korner).

"When Nash misses games, they've just been murdered," Salmons said. "He's old and all, but he probably still means the most to his team of anyone. It's more about the team situation than just the player."

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat (21.9 ppg, 4.7 apg; 6-3 ATS without him this season; 65-49-5 ATS without him in his career). Spread value: 4-4.5 points (Pierce).

Merril doesn't see Wade in this group.

“Wade is an interesting case as the Heat have actually played better this season without him, although the oddsmakers still probably adjust 1-2 points without him,” Merril said. “This would have been 3-4 points before LeBron was there.”

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 07:51 AM

NBA

Monday, February 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pick 'n' roll: Monday's best NBA bets
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New Orleans Hornets at Oklahoma City Thunder (-12, 189)

The Thunder has won seven of the last eight meetings, but only one of those wins came by more than 11 points.

New Orleans used its length to play great team defense in its upset of the Knicks on Saturday. Trevor Ariza had 25 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the 89-85 win. He’s hit 6 of his last 12 3-pointers.

The Hornets rested Sunday while the Thunder had to go to overtime to beat Denver.

New Orleans is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games as a road underdog of 11 or more points.

Pick: Hornets

Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (2, 199.5)

L.A.’s Chris Paul is eager to make amends for his dumb throwaway Saturday night, which enabled San Antonio to tie the game on a 3-pointer and win in overtime.

“It's probably the worst play I've done since I've been in the league,” Paul said. “That's probably going to be a 'SportsCenter Top 10 Dumbest Plays of the Week.'"

The Warriors are coming off their own heartbreaking loss, when a failure to block out and an offensive foul led to a 104-103 defeat in Memphis on Saturday. Incredibly, Golden State has lost nine times after being within a point in the final 90 seconds.

When these teams met in the season opener in Oakland, the Clippers won 105-86 behind Paul’s 20 points and nine assists. L.A. finished that game on a 23-5 run.

The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

Pick: Clippers

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 09:46 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Baylor at Texas
The Bears look to take advantage of a Texas team that is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games as a home favorite. Baylor is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Baylor (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Game 523-524: Connecticut at Villanova (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Connecticut 65.311; Villanova 60.973
Dunkel Line: Connecticut by 4 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: Connecticut by 2; 136 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Connecticut (-2); Under

Game 525-526: Baylor at Texas (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baylor 69.332; Texas 69.405
Dunkel Line: Even; 142
Vegas Line: Texas by 2 1/2; 138
Dunkel Pick: Baylor (+2 1/2); Over

Game 527-528: DePaul at St. John's (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: DePaul 55.572; St. John's 63.085
Dunkel Line: St. John's by 7 1/2; 149
Vegas Line: St. John's by 5; 153 1/2
Dunkel Pick St. John's (-5); Under

Game 529-530: Fairfield at Marist (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Fairfield 59.065; Marist 54.060
Dunkel Line: Fairfield by 5; 138
Vegas Line: Fairfield by 8; 133
Dunkel Pick: Marist (+8); Over

Game 531-532: Texas Southern at Mississippi Valley State (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas Southern 43.112; Mississippi Valley State 53.122
Dunkel Line: Mississippi Valley State by 10; 127
Vegas Line: Mississippi Valley State by 7 1/2; 133 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Mississippi Valley State (-7 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 11:01 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, February 20

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLANTA (19 - 12) at CHICAGO (25 - 8) - 2/20/2012, 4:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 8-7 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 8-7 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW JERSEY (9 - 24) at NEW YORK (16 - 16) - 2/20/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 84-111 ATS (-38.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 93-66 ATS (+20.4 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 5-3 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 7-2 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

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BOSTON (15 - 15) at DALLAS (20 - 12) - 2/20/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 79-53 ATS (+20.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 245-185 ATS (+41.5 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 3-2 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 4-1 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (20 - 12) at MILWAUKEE (13 - 18) - 2/20/2012, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-4 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 8-1 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (7 - 23) at OKLAHOMA CITY (24 - 7) - 2/20/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 33-49 ATS (-20.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 23-35 ATS (-15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 119-96 ATS (+13.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) as a road underdog of 9.5 to 12 points since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 153-114 ATS (+27.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MEMPHIS (18 - 14) at HOUSTON (18 - 14) - 2/20/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 75-51 ATS (+18.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 36-22 ATS (+11.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-4 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 7-3 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (22 - 9) at UTAH (15 - 15) - 2/20/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 13-1 ATS (+11.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 5-3 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 4-4 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (16 - 16) at DENVER (17 - 15) - 2/20/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 31-47 ATS (-20.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 66-50 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 31-18 ATS (+11.2 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
DENVER is 127-173 ATS (-63.3 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 7-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (7 - 24) at PHOENIX (13 - 19) - 2/20/2012, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 1-11 ATS (-11.1 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 18-38 ATS (-23.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 168-211 ATS (-64.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 4-0 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 4-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (17 - 15) at LA LAKERS (18 - 13) - 2/20/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 101-125 ATS (-36.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 159-200 ATS (-61.0 Units) after a division game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 5-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 4-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (19 - 10) at GOLDEN STATE (11 - 17) - 2/20/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 78-114 ATS (-47.4 Units) in February games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 5-4 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 5-4 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 11:03 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, February 20

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OTTAWA (30-22-0-8, 68 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (25-25-0-8, 58 pts.) - 2/20/2012, 1:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OTTAWA is 5-4-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.1 Units)

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WASHINGTON (29-24-0-5, 63 pts.) at CAROLINA (22-26-0-11, 55 pts.) - 2/20/2012, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 11-5 (+2.3 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 11-5-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.1 Units)

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**Udog** · 02-20-2012, 11:05 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

Monday, February 20

OTTAWA at NY ISLANDERS, 1:05 PM ET
OTTAWA: 17-11 SU off a win or tie in their previous game
NY ISLANDERS: 2-10 SU in home games when playing their 4th game in 7 days

WASHINGTON at CAROLINA, 7:35 PM ET
WASHINGTON: N/A
CAROLINA: N/A

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Announcement

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 2/20 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

Monday's Trends and Indexes - 2/20 (NBA, NCAAB, NHL, Misc.)

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