Announcement

**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:13 AM

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Tennessee Titans are 0-7 vs spread in their last seven divisional games.

-- Miami Dolphins covered seven of last nine tries as a road underdog.

-- New Jersey Giants covered seven of their last 25 games as a home fave.

-- Oakland Raiders are 8-3 vs spread in last 11 games as double digit dog.

-- San Diego Chargers failed to cover their last six non-divisional games.

-- Seattle Seahawks are 6-0-1 vs spread in last seven divisional home games.

*****

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud.........

13) Student-athletes, my ass; South Florida’s AD praised football coach Skip Holtz for raising the team’s Academic Progress Rate (APR); of course, he did this praising at the press conference after Holtz’s firing, after his third year at USF. You go 3-8 in bigtime college football, you get fired, it doesn’t matter if the kids go to class or not. I’m not criticizing, its just the way it is.

12) When did Gary Sheffield become an agent? Why isn’t this bigger news? How hard is it to become one? Inquiring minds want to know.

11) 12 of the 16 teams in the Atlantic 16 will make this year’s postseason basketball tournament; when Temple/Charlotte leave the league next summer, then 12 of 14 teams will make the tournament, which has moved from Atlantic City to Brooklyn.

10) In case you wonder about such things, the average Division I college basketball team turned the ball over on 20.7% of possessions last year; they made 34.4% of their 3-point shots, 69.2% of their foul shots. Just thought you’d want to know.

9) Miami Marlins got Yuinel Escobar from Toronto when they shipped off five of their higher-priced players off to Toronto; well, since Escobar makes $5M a year, he is gone too, off to Tampa Bay for a AA infielder.

Miami’s 2013 payroll right now is $31M, plus another $7M in payments to players gone by (mostly Heath Bell). That’s $31M for 25 players. Alex Rodriguez makes almost that much by himself, and he might not play until the All-Star break.

8) I’m tired of Dick Vitale shilling for Notre Dame; its annoying and he should know better. I know his daughters went there and they married guys who went there, and I just don’t care. He loses credibility every time he opens his mouth, unless he’s raising money for the V Foundation, for which he has done great work.

7) Fort Worth Star-Telegram came up with the following profits that various football teams made last year: Texas, $77.9M, Geoirgia, $52.3M, Florida $51.1M, Alabama $45.5. this, people is why coaches get fired for losing.

6) When football coach Dave Doeren bolted Northern Illinois for NC State, the Wolfpack paid NUI his buyout, whatever it was, but apparently there is a tax on that money, and Doeren paid that himself.

Wonder if Doeren, a former Wisconsin assistant, wishes he turned NC State down, now that the Badgers’ job has unexpectedly come open?

5) Last year, Florida International coach Mario Cristobal was a hot candidate to replace Greg Schiano at Rutgers; today, FIU fired him, supposedly to replace him with Butch Davis, who should have the Panthers on probation within two years.

4) For what its worth, eight of first nine NFL players who were suspended for positive Adderall tests are defensive backs.

3) In 1981, Jerry Reinsdorf’s first year owning the White Sox, they had a payroll of $2.5M. For the whole team. Last year, it was $127M.

2) Rams’ rookie kicker Greg Zuerlien is 3-6 this season on field goals of 56+ yards; rest of the NFL is 4-12.

1) St John’s lost by 16 at San Francisco late Tuesday night; at some point, people in New York are going to realize that while Lavin is a terrific guy who was very good on TV, he’s just not that good a coach.

He had NBA talent when he was at UCLA, and had middling results. I can see Lavin and ESPN analyst (former Tennessee coach) Bruce Pearl switching jobs in a year or two.

**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:13 AM

Wet weather expected for NFL Week 14

Mother Nature sure has impeccable timing. In a week in which 14 of the 16 NFL games are being played at outdoor venues, most of those contests are expected to get hit by inclement weather.

Low pressures systems litter the country in Week 14 with rain in the extended forecast for games at Buffalo, Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington, New York, Seattle, and the Monday Night Football game in Foxborough.

Week 14 may also bring the NFL’s first taste of snow this season. The forecast in Green Bay is calling for a 43 percent chance of the white stuff, just in time for the Packers to welcome dome-dwelling Detroit to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

Totals for some of those outdoor games expecting poor conditions are on the move. The 47.5-point number for Atlanta-Carolina has fallen to 47, St. Louis-Buffalo has gone from 42 to 41.5, Kansas City-Cleveland has moved from 38 to 37.5, New York-Jacksonville is down from 39 to 38.5, Arizona-Seattle has gone from 35 to 34.5, Detroit-Green Bay has adjusted from 53 to 51, and Houston-New England is sitting at 51.5 after opening as high as 52.5.

The two outdoor events not expected to get wet this week are in California. Cloudy skies are in the forecast for Thursday Night Football in Oakland and the sun will be shining in the Bay Area, where San Francisco hosts Miami Sunday. The only games being played inside in Week 14 are at Indianapolis and Minnesota.

Make sure to check out the updated forecasts as Sunday’s action draws near.

**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:15 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Creighton at Nebraska
The Blue Jays look to build on their 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 games against Nebraska. Creighton is the pick (-8) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Jays favored by 14. Dunkel Pick: Creighton (-8). Here are all of today's games.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

Game 705-706: Rhode Island at Providence (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Rhode Island 55.291; Providence 63.852
Dunkel Line: Providence by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Providence by 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Providence (-6 1/2)

Game 707-708: AR-Little Rock at Cincinnati (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: AR-Little Rock 53.802; Cincinnati 76.864
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 23
Vegas Line: Cincinnati by 20
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-20)

Game 709-710: Vanderbilt at Xavier (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vanderbilt 60.163; Xavier 66.632
Dunkel Line: Xavier by 6 1/2; 133
Vegas Line: Xavier by 12; 129 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vanderbilt (+12); Over

Game 711-712: Creighton at Nebraska (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Creighton 70.783; Nebraska 56.717
Dunkel Line: Creighton by 14
Vegas Line: Creighton by 8
Dunkel Pick: Creighton (-8)

Game 713-714: Long Beach State at Syracuse (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Long Beach State 56.496; Syracuse 78.444
Dunkel Line: Syracuse by 22; 136
Vegas Line: Syracuse by 20; 141 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Syracuse (-20); Under

Game 715-716: UC-Santa Barbara at San Diego State (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: UC-Santa Barbara 52.169; San Diego State 69.759
Dunkel Line: San Diego State by 17 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego State by 15 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego State (-15 1/2)

Game 717-718: WI-Green Bay at Tennessee Tech (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: WI-Green Bay 53.909; Tennessee Tech 52.846
Dunkel Line: WI-Green Bay by 1
Vegas Line: WI-Green Bay by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tennessee Tech (+3 1/2)

Game 719-720: Idaho at Eastern Washington (9:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Idaho 53.698; Eastern Washington 48.878
Dunkel Line: Idaho by 5
Vegas Line: Idaho by 2 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Idaho (-2 1/2)

**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:15 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 6

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RHODE ISLAND (2 - 6) at PROVIDENCE (6 - 2) - 12/6/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PROVIDENCE is 85-115 ATS (-41.5 Units) in all home games since 1997.
PROVIDENCE is 85-115 ATS (-41.5 Units) in home lined games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
PROVIDENCE is 2-0 against the spread versus RHODE ISLAND over the last 3 seasons
PROVIDENCE is 2-0 straight up against RHODE ISLAND 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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ARK-LITTLE ROCK (7 - 3) at CINCINNATI (7 - 0) - 12/6/2012, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
ARK-LITTLE ROCK is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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VANDERBILT (2 - 4) at XAVIER (6 - 1) - 12/6/2012, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANDERBILT is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
VANDERBILT is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
VANDERBILT is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
XAVIER is 1-0 against the spread versus VANDERBILT over the last 3 seasons
XAVIER is 1-0 straight up against VANDERBILT 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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CREIGHTON (7 - 1) at NEBRASKA (6 - 1) - 12/6/2012, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CREIGHTON is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=64 points/game over the last 3 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 54-77 ATS (-30.7 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CREIGHTON is 2-0 against the spread versus NEBRASKA over the last 3 seasons
NEBRASKA is 1-1 straight up against CREIGHTON 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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LONG BEACH ST (3 - 4) at SYRACUSE (6 - 0) - 12/6/2012, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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UC-SANTA BARBARA (3 - 4) at SAN DIEGO ST (6 - 1) - 12/6/2012, 10:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO ST is 2-0 against the spread versus UC-SANTA BARBARA over the last 3 seasons
SAN DIEGO ST is 2-0 straight up against UC-SANTA BARBARA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WI-GREEN BAY (3 - 4) at TENNESSEE TECH (4 - 3) - 12/6/2012, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TENNESSEE TECH is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in all home games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE TECH is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
TENNESSEE TECH is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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IDAHO (2 - 4) at E WASHINGTON (2 - 5) - 12/6/2012, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
E WASHINGTON is 26-46 ATS (-24.6 Units) in December games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
E WASHINGTON is 1-1 against the spread versus IDAHO over the last 3 seasons
E WASHINGTON is 1-1 straight up against IDAHO 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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**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:15 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 6

-- 2-6 Rhode Island won two of last three games; their last three losses are all by 5 or less points, or in OT; home team won seven of Rams' last eight games with Providence- URI lost last four visits here, by 13-1-29-7 points. 6-2 Friars have 7 scholarship guys; losses are vs teams ranked #94/131- they've won last four games, allowing 54.8 ppg.
-- 7-0 Cincinnati beat Alabama by hoop last game, now enters soft part of schedule; their four wins vs teams not in top 100 were by 23-42-54-19 points. Bearcat opponents are making 36% inside arc, 29.5% outside it. Ark-Little Rock is 0-2 on road, losing by 18 at Louisiana Tech, by 40 at Ole Miss. Sun Belt double digit road underdogs are 4-10 vs spread.
-- Inexperienced Vanderbilt lost four of last five games; their three losses vs top 100 teams are by 26-13-10 points. Xavier won 83-70 in OT LY at Vandy; Musketeers are surprising 6-1, winning by 6 at Purdue in last game. Vandy lost its only road game by 26 at Oregon. A-16 double digit home favorites are 6-11 vs spread. SEC road underdogs are 11-16.
-- Home teams won seven of last ten Creighton-Nebraska games, but the Bluejays lost last three visits here, by 5-2-12 points. First road game for Creighton, which beat Wisconsin/Arizona State on neutral floor, but also got beat at home by Boise State. Cornhuskers are 6-1, allowing 63 points or less in its wins, 74 in its loss. Big Dozen dogs are 10-9, 2-0 at home.

-- Long Beach State overschedules in pre-conference play every year; so far this year, they lost to North Carolina by 15, at Arizona by 22. Trip to central NY in December seems extreme for Long Beach- they get 34% of points behind arc- this is in a dome. 6-0 Syracuse leads country in steals, #3 in blocked shots. Big West double digit underdogs are 11-4.
-- Inexperienced (#329) UCSB is 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 28-16-28 points; they lost 76-75ot to San Diego State LY, Aztecs' 4th straight series win, with 90-64/68-51 wins here. Gauchos are 0-3 on road, with a 14-point loss at LSU. Aztecs beat UCLA/USC in last three games, are off for nine days after this game, better not overlook well-coached foe.
-- Green Bay lost four of last five games, losing all three road games by 2-10-16 points; UWGB won both games vs teams not in top 200, with wins by 5-12 points. Tennessee Tech lost last three games vs D-I teams; they turn ball over 23.5% of time. Horizon League favorites are 6-9 vs spread, 2-8 if laying 5 or less points. OVC home underdogs are 2-4.
-- Idaho-Eastern Washington split last 10 meetings; Vandals lost twice in last three visits here. Idaho is 2-6, losing road games vs top 100 teams by 15-9 points. EWU allowed 84+ points in its five losses, 70-75 in its two wins. WAC road favorites are 5-0 vs spread. Big Sky underdogs of less than 5 points are 4-7 vs spread, 2-4 at home.

**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:16 AM

NCAAB

Thursday, December 6

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
HOWARD vs. WILLIAM & MARY
No trends available
William & Mary is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games at home
William & Mary is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games

7:00 PM
ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK vs. CINCINNATI
Arkansas-Little Rock is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
FLORIDA ATLANTIC vs. STETSON
Florida Atlantic is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Florida Atlantic is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Stetson
No trends available

7:00 PM
RHODE ISLAND vs. PROVIDENCE
Rhode Island is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Rhode Island is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Providence
Providence is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Providence is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Rhode Island

7:05 PM
GENEVA vs. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
No trends available
Youngstown State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Youngstown State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games

7:30 PM
VANDERBILT vs. XAVIER
Vanderbilt is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Vanderbilt is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Xavier is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Xavier is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home

8:00 PM
LONG BEACH STATE vs. SYRACUSE
Long Beach State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Long Beach State is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Syracuse is 23-2 SU in its last 25 games at home
Syracuse is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
CREIGHTON vs. NEBRASKA
Creighton is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Creighton is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Nebraska is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Creighton
Nebraska is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:30 PM
WISC-GREEN BAY vs. TENNESSEE TECH
Wisc-Green Bay is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Wisc-Green Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Tennessee Tech is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
MONTANA TECH vs. MONTANA STATE
No trends available
Montana State is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games
Montana State is 2-14 SU in its last 16 games

9:05 PM
IDAHO vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON
Idaho is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Idaho is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Eastern Washingto
Eastern Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Eastern Washington is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games

10:00 PM
SANTA BARBARA vs. SAN DIEGO STATE
Santa Barbara is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Santa Barbara is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
San Diego State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
San Diego State is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games at home

10:00 PM
SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN vs. FRESNO STATE
No trends available
Fresno State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Fresno State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:05 PM
CS BAKERSFIELD vs. CS FULLERTON
No trends available
CS Fullerton is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing CS Bakersfield
CS Fullerton is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

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**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 10:17 AM

NBA
Dunkel

New York at Miami
The Heat look to take advantage of a New York team that is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games in Miami. Miami is the pick (-7) according to Dunkel, which has the Heat favored by 8 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Miami (-7). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

Game 701-702: New York at Miami (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 120.521; Miami 129.248
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 8 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 7; 202
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-7); Under

Game 703-704: Dallas at Phoenix (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 111.830; Phoenix 117.705
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 6; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 3; 199
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-3); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 6

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NEW YORK (13 - 4) at MIAMI (12 - 4) - 12/6/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 47-29 ATS (+15.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 91-125 ATS (-46.5 Units) in home games first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 6-6 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 9-4 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
10 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (8 - 10) at PHOENIX (7 - 12) - 12/6/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 268-215 ATS (+31.5 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
PHOENIX is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 7-1 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 6

Hot Teams
-- Miami won six of its last seven games (4-4 as HF). Knicks won their last four games (3-2 as an U).

Cold Teams
-- Mavericks lost four of last five games (2-6 as AU). Suns also lost four of last five games (1-4 as a HF).

Totals
-- Over is 5-2-1 in New York's last eight games.
-- Four of last five Dallas games stayed under the total.

NBA

Thursday, December 6

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of New York's last 11 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing at home against New York

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. PHOENIX
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Dallas is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing Dallas

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NBA

Thursday, December 6

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NBA TNT doubleheader: Knicks at Heat, Mavericks at Suns
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New York Knicks at Miami Heat (-7, 202)

The Miami Heat and New York Knicks know a thing or two about winning at home. After all, the Eastern Conference leaders collectively have won all 15 such contests this season. The Heat, who are 8-0 at AmericanAirlines Arena, will have the home-court advantage on Thursday, when the Knicks pay a visit for a nationally televised game.

The Heat likely are still massaging their ego after woe-begotten Washington doubled its season win total at their expense. New York extended its winning streak to four games on Wednesday as J.R. Smith drilled a step-back jumper as time expired for a 100-98 triumph over Charlotte. Carmelo Anthony finished with 23 points before receiving stitches on the middle finger of his left hand after diving into the bench to save a loose ball. His status for Thursday is unknown, however, head coach Mike Woodson did tell reporters, “He’s going to play. He’ll be ready to play."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE KNICKS (13-4, 11-6 ATS): Coach Mike Woodson insisted after Wednesday's contest that Anthony would be able to play versus Miami. The electric forward cooled off the Heat with a team-high 30 points and 10 rebounds in New York's 104-84 victory on Nov. 2. As for Wednesday, Jason Kidd returned following a four-game absence due to lower back spasms. The veteran guard came off the bench to score seven points but logged nearly 25 1/2 minutes to provide a jolt for the Knicks.

ABOUT THE HEAT (12-4, 7-9 ATS): The inexplicable loss to Washington snapped a six-game winning streak for Miami. LeBron James did his best to put the setback in perspective, although his pair of missed 3-point attempts in the waning moments could have altered the outcome. Dwyane Wade insisted that the Heat will have no problem getting up for Thursday's tilt. "It'll be a good game for us," Wade said. "It's a game that we all look forward to. Obviously, we want to play better, and it's a good time for it (facing the Knicks)."

TRENDS:

* Under is 10-2-1 in the last 13 meetings.
* Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Knicks are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Knicks are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings in Miami.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. New York is off to its best 17-game start to a season since the 1995-96 campaign. It also was 13-4 during that campaign.

2. Wade had 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field in the teams' first meeting. While it's an impressive performance to be certain, Wade has averaged 27.9 points in 25 career games versus New York.

3. The Knicks played their fourth game without C Marcus Camby, who is being plagued by plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns (-3, 199.5)

The Dallas Mavericks try to shake off an awful start to their road trip Thursday, when they take on the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Dallas began its three-game trek Wednesday in Los Angeles, where it thoroughly was thrashed in a 112-90 loss to the Clippers. The Mavericks never led as they allowed the first seven points of the game and fell behind by as many as 24 late in the fourth quarter.

Phoenix returns home from a 1-5 road trip during which it lost the last four contests. After splitting the first two games of the trek, the Suns suffered a 40-point loss in Detroit on Nov. 28. They dropped close decisions in Toronto and New York before concluding the trip with a 10-point overtime setback to the league-leading Grizzlies in Memphis on Tuesday. Phoenix led by as many as 16 points before Rudy Gay forged a 94-94 tie with 15.9 seconds remaining in regulation.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), TNT

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (8-10, 7-11 ATS): Dallas trailed by 11 points after one quarter in Los Angeles on Wednesday but began the second with a 9-0 run to get within 29-27. That was as close as the Mavericks would get as they were down 18 points at halftime and never got the deficit to single digits in the second half. Guard O.J. Mayo entered the game against the Clippers second in the league with a 52.7 percent shooting efficiency from beyond the arc, went 0-of-4 and has gone without a 3-pointer in three of his last five contests.

ABOUT THE SUNS (7-12, 6-12-1 ATS): Phoenix has not had much success against Dallas of late, losing eight of the last nine meetings between the teams. In fact, the Suns snapped an eight-game skid in the all-time series in their last encounter as they posted a 96-94 triumph at US Airways Center on March 12. It was the team's second win in the last 13 matchups and snapped its three-game home losing streak against the Mavericks. Center Marcin Gortat has started 96 consecutive games and appeared in all 140 contests since being acquired by the Suns from Orlando on Dec. 18, 2010.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Mavericks are 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings in Phoenix.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Gortat leads the Suns with six double-doubles.

2. Mavericks rookie F Jae Crowder is 3-of-26 from the field over his last four games.

3. The Suns have trailed by double digits in 15 of their 19 contests this season.

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**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 01:06 PM

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, December 6

New York at Miami, 8:05 ET TNT
New York: 19-6 ATS off 3+ games scoring 100+ points
Miami: 7-20 ATS off a loss by 6 points or less

Dallas at Phoenix, 10:35 ET TNT
Dallas: 12-3 ATS off a loss by 15+ points
Phoenix: 7-18 ATS at home in the first half of the season

**Udog** · 12-06-2012, 01:08 PM

NCAAB
Top 25 Short Sheet

Thursday, December 6

Arkansas Little Rock at Cincinnati, 7:00 ET
Ark Little Rock: 16-6 ATS as an underdog
Cincinnati: 0-6 ATS at home off a non-conference game

Creighton at Nebraska, 8:00 ET
Creighton: 7-0 ATS after allowing 55 points or less
Nebraska: 2-9 ATS at home off a home game

Long Beach State at Syracuse, 8:00 ET ESPN2
Long Beach State: 6-0 Over as a road underdog of 10+ points
Syracuse: 2-10 ATS at home off 4+ ATS wins

Cal Santa Barbara at San Diego State, 10:00 ET
UCSB: 3-11 ATS after scoring and allowing 80+ points
San Diego State: 20-9 ATS off a home win

Announcement

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 12/6 (NBA, NCAAB, Misc.)

Thursday's Trends and Indexes - 12/6 (NBA, NCAAB, Misc.)

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