NBA TNT Doubleheader Preview: CELTICS vs SPURS & MAVS vs LAKERS

Boston Celtics at San Antonio Spurs

The Celtics and Spurs have faced each other once this season heading into Thursday’s showdown at the AT&T Center. In Boston on Jan. 5, the home team prevailed 105-103 and just barely failed to cover the 2.5-point spread.

Boston (51-22, 33-38-2 ATS) shot 61.7 percent from the floor in that contest to San Antonio’s 45.3, but the Spurs made it competitive by making 16 of 17 free throws compared to their opponent’s 8-for-15 effort. The Celtics got huge performances from Ray Allen (31 points on 13-of-16 shooting) and Glen Davis (23 points) while six Spurs scored in double figures.

INSULT TO INJURY OR VICE VERSA

The Spurs (57-17, 41-31-2 ATS) still own the top spot in the Western Conference, but to say they have fallen upon hard times would be an understatement. They have lost four in a row (2-2 ATS) and based on the injury report, it could be a while before the team snaps out of it.

Tim Duncan missed all four of those losses with a bad ankle sprain and he is listed as doubtful for Thursday’s showdown. Manu Ginobili (quadriceps) is also doubtful. Tony Parker (knee) and Antonio McDyess (back) are expected to suit up. Parker and McDyess reportedly could have played in Monday’s loss to Portland, but coach Gregg Popovich wanted to rest them for the stretch run.

However, all is not lost for San Antionio. In the midst of the myriad absences, Tiago Splitter and George Hill are seeing increased minutes and clear improvement. Splitter is averaging 9.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in his last five outings and Hill has scored a combined 57 points over his past two games.

“I’m getting more confident and feeling like I’m part of the team,” Splitter told the San Antonio Express-News. “Even though I watched a lot of NBA games before I got here, it’s not the same as when you can get on the court and see them work.”

TRENDING TOPICS

The Celtics are 1-5 ATS in their last six against the Western Conference and 0-4 ATS in their last four overall.

The Spurs are 2-5 ATS in their last seven against the Eastern Conference and 1-5 ATS in their last six home games.

The under is 7-1 in Boston’s last eight road games and 10-1 in its last 11 overall. However, the over is 4-1 in San Antonio’s last five road games and 4-0 in its last four overall.

Head-to-head, the underdog is 9-0 ATS in the last nine meetings and the road team is 6-0 ATS in the last six encounters. Boston is 4-0 ATS in its last four forays to the AT&T Center.
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Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers

It will be a battle for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference when the Mavericks and Lakers square off for the third and final time during this regular season. If San Antonio falls to Boston earlier in the night on Thursday, either Dallas (4.5 games back) or Los Angeles (3.5 games back) will inch slightly closer toward making things interesting for the top spot.

The two teams split their previous two meetings, both of which were hosted by Dallas. The Mavericks prevailed 109-100 on Jan. 19 behind 22 points apiece from Jason Terry and Shawn Marion. They turned the ball over just six times and Jason Kidd went for 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers got revenge with a 96-91 victory earlier this month on March 12. Andrew Bynum contributed 22 points and 15 rebounds as the visitors turned up the notch on defense, holding Dallas to 4-for-16 shooting from downtown.

WHO'S ON FIRST?

Despite San Antonio’s recent doldrums, the Lakers (53-20, 35-37-1 ATS) are not focusing on the No. 1 seed.

“It’s still a real longshot for that,” head coach Phil Jackson told NBA.com. “They only have to win a couple of games here and we have to go perfect. So it’s real difficult to see that. But we still play it out. It’s still what we do.... Without a doubt, you would always want to go for that. But right now our sights are Dallas and Thursday night’s game.”

You would think their sights would be set on the top spot, though, because the Lakers are even hotter than the Spurs are cold. They have won seven straight (3-4 ATS) and 15 of their last 16 (10-6 ATS) following Sunday's 102-84 rout of New Orleans and a big reason why is Lamar Odom.

Making a case for Sixth Man of the Year, Odom has two double-doubles in his last four outings (16 and 11 against Portland on March 20, 29 and 16 on March 22 against Phoenix).

"At first, it was hard for me," Odom told the Los Angeles Times about having to come off the bench. "From a business standpoint, the year Phil wanted me to come off the bench was my free-agent year. You know how that goes. When you're a free agent, you want to start and play as many minutes as you can. But it was the right decision."

The Mavericks (52-21, 39-32-2 ATS), meanwhile, are playing in the Staples Center on consecutive nights. They are coming off a Wednesday night date with the Clippers and they are 7-1 ATS in the second of back-to-games in their last eight such contests.

TRENDING TOPICS

The Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games and 1-4 ATS in their last five overall.

The under is 5-0 in the Mavericks’ last five against the Western Conference and 5-0 in their last five overall.

Head-to-head, Dallas is 6-1 ATS in their last seven trips to the Staples Center.

NCAA Elite Eight Preview: VCU vs KANSAS

THE STORY: Playing in a Southwest regional that included three double-digit seeds, anything less than domination would be unacceptable for No. 1 seed Kansas. Consider the first test passed with flying colors. No. 11 seed Virginia Commonwealth has had to prove itself every step of the way this month, starting with a first-round game just to get into the field of 64. But four wins later, the Rams are further than they have ever been before and are still hungry. Kansas and VCU will battle it out for the right to go to Houston and the Final Four when the schools meet on Sunday in the regional final.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, CBS. ODDS: Kansas -11. Books opened with the Jayhawks at -10.5 and that was bet up to -11. The total has fallen from 147.5 to 145.5 points.

ABOUT KANSAS (35-2, 18-16-1): The Jayhawks will be playing in their fourth Elite Eight in eight seasons under coach Bill Self and are on the verge of making another trip to the Final Four - their first since winning the 2008 National Championship. Kansas let Boston University and Illinois hang around through the first half before turning in convincing wins in the first two games. But the Jayhawks did not mess around in the Sweet 16 against No. 12 seed Richmond. They ripped off a 27-4 burst in the first half that stretched the lead to as much as 35-11. The Jayhawks never led by less than 15 points the rest of the way in cruising through to the Southwest final. Brady Morningstar led with 18 points and Thomas Robinson collected 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench in the 77-57 triumph. The game was over so fast that Marcus and Markieff Morris, who combined for 72 points and 41 rebounds in the first two games, only had to play 28 and 17 minutes, respectively. The Morris twins finished combined for 18 points and 13 boards.

ABOUT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH (27-11, 17-20-0 ATS): The Rams took a lot of flack from analysts as a mid-major that got an at-large bid ahead of teams from large conferences like Colorado and Virginia Tech. No one is questioning them anymore, after taking out a fourth straight major-conference team en route to the Elite Eight. VCU had its toughest battle yet against No. 10 seed Florida State in the semifinal on Friday, but Branford Burgess hit a layup off an inbounds pass with 7.1 seconds left in overtime to lift it to a 72-71 victory. Burgess finished with 26 points and went 6 of 7 from 3-point range in the contest. The Rams had never made it past the second round in nine previous NCAA tournament appearances.

UP NEXT: The winner gets either Butler or Florida at the Final Four next Saturday in Houston.

TRENDS:

- Rams are 8-0 ATS in their last eight NCAA tournament games.
- Jayhawks are 4-1 ATS in their last five NCAA tournament games as favorites of 7.0-12.5.
- Under is 13-3 in Jayhawks' last 16 NCAA tournament games.
- Over is 7-3 in Rams' last 10 neutral-site games.

NBA FRIDAY: SPURS VS BLAZERS AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

THE STORY: The Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs will see a lot of one another the next few days, beginning with Friday’s game in Portland. The two teams square off again Monday in San Antonio with both teams playing a game on Sunday – the Trail Blazers visit Oklahoma City and the Spurs visit Memphis. Portland has defeated San Antonio six of the last seven meetings and had beaten the Spurs five straight times before San Antonio recorded a victory in December. Both teams appear solidly entrenched for the Western Conference playoffs. The Spurs are en route to being the top seed while Portland is in sixth place with 11 games to play.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSSW, KGW.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (41-30): Portland has won four of five games and trounced the Washington Wizards 111-76 on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers allowed 17 or fewer points in each of the final three quarters, posted a season-best 14 steals and limited Washington to 37.1 percent shooting. Gerald Wallace had 28 points and eight rebounds, Nicolas Batum had 22 points and 12 rebounds and LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points. Wallace’s scoring output was his highest in 13 games since being acquired from the Charlotte Bobcats. Center Marcus Camby missed the contest with an ankle injury but expects to play against San Antonio. Portland is 25-10 at home.

ABOUT THE SPURS (57-14): San Antonio opened a three-game road trip with a 115-112 loss to Denver on Wednesday. Gary Neal scored 25 points for the Spurs, who were playing their first game without forward Tim Duncan, who sprained his left ankle against Golden State on Monday. Duncan won’t be back until sometime in April. Tiago Splitter moved into the starting lineup and had four points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes. Antonio McDyess picked up the inside slack with 13 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. DeJuan Blair was back from a wrist injury and had eight points and six rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. San Antonio is 24-11 on the road.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Batum is averaging 19.3 points over the last four games. San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili is averaging 24 points and has made eight 3-pointers over the last two games. Portland guard Brandon Roy has made just 5 of 25 shots while averaging 4.3 points over the past four contests. Spurs forward Richard Jefferson is averaging just 7.6 points over the last five outings.

KEY STATISTIC: Portland has allowed just 87 points per game over the last 10 games and held three teams to 76 points or fewer. The Trail Blazers give up 94.7 on average. San Antonio scores 103.6 per game.

SEASON SERIES: The teams have split two meetings. San Antonio notched a 95-78 home victory over Dec. 12 and Portland also won at home, 99-86 on Feb. 1.

KEY INJURIES: SAN ANTONIO: F Tim Duncan (ankle). PORTLAND: C Marcus Camby (ankle).

KEY TRENDS: Home team is 9-2 against the spread in the last 11 meetings.
San Antonio has played over in 11 of its last 16.
Portland has covered in five of the last six meetings between the two teams.

LAST WORD: “You want to play because this is fun basketball. We haven’t clinched a spot in the playoffs yet and every game right now seems like a playoff game in a playoff atmosphere.” – Portland center Marcus Camby to reporters Thursday on why he plans to play against the Spurs despite an ailing ankle.

New-look Nuggets aren't missing Melo

George Karl must have been smiling when he saw the out-of-town scores Monday night. The Denver Nuggets coach would have seen the New York Knicks lose again after watching his team dismantle the hapless Toronto Raptors.

Yes, a rejuvenated Karl likes what he sees from his new-look Nuggets following last month’s blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, among others, to the Knicks in exchange for a group of promising young players.

Before the trade, the seventh-year Nuggets bench boss had become exasperated with his club. The ongoing Anthony trade speculation was an unwanted distraction, and he had grown tired of his team’s style of play.

Now that the roster has been reshaped, Karl's outlook has changed considerably.

“I think you're seeing a team that can not only be a good offensive team, it might become a special defensive team,” Karl told the Denver Post in early March. “We have size, we have speed, we have one-on-one defenders. Our transition defense is the best it's ever been since I've been here."

Since trading away their two biggest stars, the Nuggets — who acquired point guard Raymond Felton, forwards Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler and rookie center Timofey Mozgov — have posted a 10-4 record. More importantly, the Nuggets have gone a league-best 13-1 against the spread during the stretch.

In doing so, Denver has moved from seventh to fifth in the Western Conference standings, a full three games ahead of the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies. They’ve also improved in a number of statistical categories, particularly on the defensive end.

In the 57 games prior to the trade, Denver allowed an average of 105.2 points per game. In the 14 games since, the Nuggets are holding opponents to just 94.7 points per game — an improvement of more than 10 points. The Nuggets have also held four of their last 14 opponents in the 70s or 80s, a feat they accomplished just six times prior to the Feb. 21 trade.

The improved defense can explain why 10 of Denver’s last 14 games have gone under the posted total by an average of 14.1 points per game. Five games have gone under by 12 or more points. For now, at least until oddsmakers adjust, there seems to be strong value in betting the under in Nuggets games.

As for Denver's torrid ATS run, there's no reason to think it can't continue. Karl has said his team is playing arguably its best basketball of the season even as guards Arron Afflalo (hamstring) and Felton (ankle) nurse injuries. Six different players have led the team in scoring over the last 14 games, which suggests these new Nuggets are a balanced bunch. Before, teams hoping to stop the Nuggets could do so simply by slowing down Anthony.

Also, the Nuggets play five of their final 11 games against playoff teams, including three road games at the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder, where they’ll likely be underdogs. The Nuggets have five outright wins as underdogs since the trade, including a convincing 89-75 win over the Boston Celtics as 4.5-point dogs on Feb. 24. All four of their losses have been by six points or less, yet another indication that the team is coming together at just the right time

NBA TNT Doubleheader Preview: BULLS VS HAWKS & LAKERS VS SUNS

March Madness may be giving the NBA TNT doubleheader the boot from Thursday to Tuesday, but at least the NCAAs are not completely doing away with NBA action. Two for Tuesdays? Yes, please.Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks (+4, 180)

The Bulls and Hawks will be squaring off for the third time this season and third time this month when they clash in Philips Arena. They split a pair of recent meetings, with each team prevailing at home. Atlanta—as a 4.5-point underdog—staged a furious rally to win 83-80 on March 2. Chicago—as a 7.5-point favorite—got revenge without any trouble on March 11, blasting the Hawks 94-76.

What was the main difference? MVP candidate Derrick Rose, of course. The All-Star point guard scored just 12 points on dismal 5-of-21 shooting in the Bulls’ loss, but he turned it around and scored a game-high 34 points in the blowout of Atlanta.

Rebounding was also a major factor. Chicago almost always wins the battle of the boards, but it was a close 43 to 37 contest in the first game as the Bulls allowed Al Horford to erupt for 31 points and 16 rebounds. The margin was much worse at the United Center. Chicago humiliated the Hawks 50 to 28 on the glass as Horford managed a mere six points and seven rebounds.

HAWKS GROUNDED

Atlanta is comfortably in the playoffs right now and in line for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, but even head coach Larry Drew admits his team is mentally nowhere near postseason mode.

“If there’s anything that needs to be fixed, it’s our mental state,” Drew told the Atlanta Journal Constitution prior to Sunday’s 104-96 home win over Detroit. “It’s 70 games into the season and I know mental fatigue has settled in. We have to push through that.”

In their last 24 games, the Hawks are 8-1 straight up (SU) against teams with losing records and 3-12 SU against opponents with winning marks.

“This is not the first stretch of games where we’ve let games get away from us,” Drew added. “Teams that play that grind-it-out, blue-collar style have been a thorn in our side.”

That’s not a good thing when you are about to face a bruising Chicago Bulls squad.

TRENDING TOPICS

The Bulls are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 against the Eastern Conference and 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.

The Hawks are 1-5 ATS in their last six against teams with winning SU records.

The under is 10-3 in Chicago’s last 13 overall.

Head-to-head, the Hawks are 4-0 ATS in their last four at home against the Bulls. The home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.

Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (-7.5, 199)

The Suns and Lakers are set for a fourth and final encounter of this regular season. Interestingly, the home team dropped all three of the previous contests. Los Angeles won 114-106 on October 29 (covered the 3.5-point spread) and 99-95 on January 5 (the 4-point spread was pushed). Phoenix came out on top 121-116 on November 14 (they got 8.5 points, of which they needed none).

It should be noted, though, that only the most recent meeting at the Staples Center came after the Suns’ blockbuster trade with Orlando.

Phoenix will have to do a better job on the boards than it did in January, as the team got out-rebounded 47 to 31. Jared Dudley scored 21 points to keep the home team competitive, but Kobe Bryant tallied 24, Lamar Odom had a double-double, and Shannon Brown chipped in 13.

BYE-BYE, BYNUM

Lakers’ center Andrew Bynum is suspended two games for a flagrant foul on Michael Beasley in last Friday’s 106-98 win over Minnesota. Bynum sat out Sunday’s 84-80 defeat of Portland and he will miss Tuesday’s contest.

Head coach Phil Jackson, not surprisingly, is not amused. “I thought two games was excessive, but who knows,” Jackson told the Los Angeles Times. “You never know. There's no standard. There's nothing to go by. It's all subjective.”

Kobe did not escape Minnesota unscathed, either, as he was accidentally hit in the face by Martell Webster and had a sore neck and shoulder afterward. Although fine, Kobe was in mediocre form on Sunday, scoring 22 points on 9-for-20 shooting against the Blazers.

For the Suns, meanwhile, Aaron Brooks as suspended for tossing a ball at a ref in Friday’s 108-97 victory over Golden State on Friday, but he was docked just one game and will be back in action on Tuesday.

Brooks’ return and Bynum’s absence are about the only things going for Phoenix, which has won two straight against inferior competition (2-0 ATS) but is just 2-4 in its last six (3-2-1 ATS). The Lakers also have won four in a row (2-2 ATS) and 12 of their last 13 (9-4 ATS).

TRENDING TOPICS

The Suns are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four overall and 4-0-1 ATS in their last five road games.

The Lakers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 against the Western Conference.
The under is 6-0 in Phoenix’s last six overall and 5-2 in L.A.’s last seven home games.

Head-to-head, the underdog is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six overall and the road team 4-0-1 ATS in the last five overall.

2011 in Revierw

See our record below and get on board now. Let us help you crush your man.  If your package doesn't profit we'll refund your money.  Try us for 30 days for only $59.  Buy one week and we'll upgrade you to 30 days HERE.

2011	NCAAF	NBA	NCAAB	NHL	NFL	TOTAL
January	11-4-1	46-19-2	53-27-2	28-12	12-5	150-67-5
February		62-28-2	95-48	43-19	10-2	210-97-2
March		50-21-1	78-21	30-10		158-52-1
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
TOTAL	11-4-1	158-68-5	226-96-2	101-41	22-7	518-216-8

Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Tournament Betting Trends

There is nothing sweeter this time of the year than being alive in the NCAA Tournament. For those teams that survived the opening two rounds of this main event it’s on to the Sweet 16 and, hopefully, the Eilte 8 this weekend.
From out powerful database, here are notes of the teams that have arrived. Stay tuned…


Sweet 16 round notes:
- No. 1 seed favorites of less than 11 points off back-to-back straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) wins are 18-5 ATS

- No. 2 seeds are 12-5 ATS vs. opponents off a SU underdog win

- No. 3 seed favorites off back-to-back SU and AGS wins are 2-10 ATS

-No. 4 seed underdogs are 2-9 ATS vs. opponents off back-to-back straight up, against the spread wins

- No. 5 seeds are 5-0-1 against the spread as double-digit dogs

- No. 6 seeds off a double-digit ATS win are 1-8 ATS

- No. 7 seed underdogs of more than two points are 2-10 ATS

- Favorites of nine or more points are 16-6-1 ATS against opponents off a back-to-back straight up and ATS wins

- Favorites off back-to-back straight up wins of 15 or more points are 12-3 ATS

- Underdogs of 11 or more points are 7-2 ATS

Best team ATS record in this round

North Carolina: 5-1

Worst team ATS record in this round
Kansas: 3-8

Best conference ATS records in this round
Atlantic 10: 6-0-1, Big 12: 5-1-1, SEC: 9-3 as dogs, Big 10: 16-7

Worst Conference ATS records in this round

ACC: 0-4 as favorites of less than eight points, Big East: 1-8 as favorites of less than seven points, Pac 10: 1-8 as underdogs of two or more points

Elite 8 round notes
- No. 1 seed favorites of more than seven points are 0-7 ATS vs. opponents off back-to-back ATS wins

- No. 2 seeds are 2-9-1 ATS off a double-digit ATS win

-No. 3 seeds are 1-5 ATS

- No. 4 seeds are 7-1 ATS

- No. 5 seeds are 6-0 SU and ATS

- No. 6 seeds are 0-7 SU

- No. 8 seeds are 3-1 ATS

- Teams that score less than 67 points are 11-37 SU and 11-36-1 ATS

- Teams that score more than 85 points are 27-7 SU and 24-8-2 ATS

- Teams off back-to-back ATS losses are 6-2 ATS

- Teams with revenge are 13-4-1 ATS

- Underdogs off three straight double-digit wins are 1-4-1 ATS

Best Conference ATS records in this round
Big East: 6-1-1 as underdog

Worst Conference ATS record in this round
Big 12: 0-9

Coach me if you can:
- Florida’s Billy Donovan is 11-2 SU and 10-3 ATS in the NCAA tournament from the Sweet 16 out

Arizona and Texas Meet for Sweet 16 Spot in West Region

#4 Texas Longhorns vs #5 Arizona Wildcats
Bank of Oklahoma Center, Tulsa, OK
March 11, 2011, 6:10 pm EST, TV: TNT
Current Line: Texas -6
Current Total: 139
Money Line: Texas -255 / Arizona +215

Arizona and Texas meet in Tulsa for the right to go to Western Regional semifinals in Anaheim next week. The winner of this game will play the winner of Duke and Michigan in the Sweet 16. Texas earned the #4 seed in this region with a 27-8 record, but some people thought they deserved a higher seed. They finished a game behind Kansas in the Big 12 standings with a 13-3 record. Texas has struggled a bit down the stretch going 5-4 in their last 9. They beat Oakland 85-81 in the second round Friday. Oakland was a trendy upset pick, but Texas jumped out to a double digit lead early. They were up by 8 at halftime, and extended the lead to as many as 17 points. The Longhorns were up by 15 with less than five minutes to play before holding off a furious rally by the Golden Grizzlies to win by 4. Forward Tristan Thompson and Guard Jordan Hamilton both had doubles to led the Longhorns. Thompson had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Hamilton had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Arizona won the Pac 10 regular season title with a 28-7 record and 14-4 record in the conference. Arizona has won 4 of the last 5 games but did lose to Washington in overtime 77-75 in the Pac Ten Championship game. The Wildcats beat Memphis by the same 77-75 score in the second round Friday. Arizona hit one of two free throws late to take a 2 point lead. Memphis got a good shot off for the tie, but Pac-10 player of the year forward Derrick Williams blocked it to preserve the two point win. He also had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats.

Arizona leads the overall series 8-2 against Texas. The two teams haven’t played since 2003, and have never played in the NCAA tournament against each other. Arizona was 5-6 against teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament this year. Texas is 8-5 against tournament teams.

Customer Review #6402

From: <xxxxxxxx@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:17:36 -0400 (EDT)
To: <michael@westcoasthandicapping.com>
Subject: Re: A basketball ATM - You need to read this

Mike,

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Southwest Region Third Round Tourney Betting: Morehead State vs. Richmond

The two lowest seeds remaining in the 2011 NCAA tournament will square off on Saturday at Denver’s Pepsi Arena when the 12th-seeded Richmond Spiders (28-7) play the 13th-seeded Morehead State Eagles (25-9) in a Southwest Region third-round game.  The Eagles pulled off the biggest upset of the Big Dance when they knocked out #4 Louisville on Thursday 62-61 as 9-point underdogs.

Morehead State has now won 13 of its last 14 games, going 9-5 against the spread over that span.  Demonte Harper was the hero in the team’s victory against the Cardinals, hitting the game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds.  That turned out to be Harper’s only made 3-pointer on six attempts, but it did not matter because the Eagles got their biggest win in school history.

The team won despite shooting poorly against Louisville, making just 21 of 57 from the field (36.8 percent).  Harper made only 3 of 10 shots overall while the NCAA’s all-time leading rebounder Kenneth Faried converted just 4 of 17 but still grabbed a game-high 17 boards.

Faried figures to be a very difficult player to match up with in the paint for the Spiders, who advanced with a 69-66 win over #5 Vanderbilt in a lesser upset.  They closed as 3-point dogs and were a popular bracket pick due in part to past failures for the Commodores in the opening round.  Richmond’s victory was its eighth in a row both straight-up and ATS with the UNDER going 6-0-1 in the last seven.
The Spiders have been riding the hot shooting hand of star guard Kevin Anderson during their winning streak, as he has scored 20 points or more six times during that stretch.  Anderson scored a game-high 25 against Vandy on 10 of 25 shots from the field, including 4 of 9 from 3-point range.  The barely 6-foot senior was not recruited by bigger name schools because of his size, but he has made it his mission to show them what they missed out on in the Big Dance.

“His intelligence on the floor and his ability to make shots is so incredibly impressive,” Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said. “We knew right away we had something very special.”

The number 13 has not been a lucky number when it comes to this #12 vs. #13 matchup over the years, as the higher seed has advanced eight times in nine games.  Valparaiso is the only #13 to ever beat a #12, which happened in the 1998 NCAA tournament.

Customer Review #6389

From: charlie.xxxxxx@gmail.com
To: Michael@westcoasthandicapping.com
Sent: Mar 18, 2011 9:51 AM
Subject: $$$

Michael,

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Is Gonzaga a Final Four capable team???

5-0 Thursday and our members are off to great start, are you?

Steve Lavin momentarily put on his analyst’s cap and gave a glowing review of Gonzaga’s chances in the NCAA tournament after the Zags dominated his St. John’s team throughout an 86-71 second-round win.

“They’re definitely a Final Four-capable team, national championship-potential team,” Lavin said.

Those were the words the former ESPN analyst used to describe a No. 11 seed, one that began the season 4-5 and slogged through the tough part of its difficult non-conference schedule. Gonzaga was even three games out of first place in the WCC at one point.

But expectations are high again now for the Zags, who have won 10 games in a row and are feeling good enough about themselves to say that in their minds, taking down the No. 6-seeded Red Storm wasn’t much of an upset.

“If you look at the bracket, yes,” forward Elias Harris said. “If you know us, this was a fair fight. For them, it was not cool to play us.”

Said center Robert Sacre: “I don’t see why it was an upset. I don’t think we get enough credit.”

Yes, the Zags have heard all the talk about them not having played anyone in the one-bid WCC. They just simply don’t believe it and try to make their case on the court.

So rather than look at St. John’s as a favorite that needed to be slayed, Gonzaga just went out and thrashed its Big East opponent. With leading rebounder D.J. Kennedy lost for the season, the Red Storm saw the Zags out-rebound it 43-20. In fact after going up by 11 with 18:59 left, Gonzaga never saw its lead slip under double-digits again.

Marquise Carter was fantastic in his first NCAA tournament game, as the junior college transfer had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Point guard Demetri Goodson played what coach Mark Few called his best game, handling St. John’s press, traps and zone defense. Steven Gray scored 16 points, and Harris added 15. “I’m tickled pink for these guys,” Few said. “They took the game plan and executed it. “


The Zags might consider itself a young team, but Gray, Harris and Sacre make up a big lineup that is battle-tested from its previous tournament experience, and Few said it helped the Bulldogs against a senior-laden St. John’s team dancing for the first time in nine years.


Dwight Hardy scored 26 points, and Justin Brownlee had 14 for St. John's, but Gonzaga’s rebounding edge was difficult to overcome. The Zags also shot 9-for-15 from beyond the arc, with Gray and Carter doing the most damage. For the game, they shot 53.8 percent from the field.


So while Harris has heard the criticism that the Zags don’t play anyone in the WCC, he said that the team doesn’t really listen to it. Playing with blinders is how Sacre described it.


The Bulldogs have fingers in their ears while the rest of the nation either continues to doubt them or adores their underdog status.


After convincingly beating St. John’s, does the slipper actually still fit for Gonzaga?

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Big Ten Tournament: Ohio State vs. Penn State preview and pick

THE STORY: Top-ranked Ohio State seeks a second straight Big Ten tournament title and an overall No. 1 seed for the upcoming NCAA tournament when it plays surprising Penn State on Sunday. The Buckeyes, who won two earlier meetings against the Lions, are playing in their third straight title game and are attempting to become only the second team to win in consecutive seasons (Michigan, 1999-2000). Talor Battle’s 3-point binge in Saturday’s 61-48 semifinal win against Michigan State carried Penn State to its first Big Ten tournament final, and may have locked up the Lions’ first NCAA tournament berth in 10 years.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

ODDS: Ohio State opened as high as a 10.5-point favorite following Saturday's Big Ten semifinals.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (31-2): Many feel the Buckeyes are the favorite to win the national title because of their balance. That was on display Saturday as Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jared Sullinger had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and wings Jon Diebler and William Buford added 16 points apiece as Ohio State used 11-0 and 16-0 runs to pull out a 68-61 semifinal win over Michigan. Sullinger, who was double-teamed on the low block by the smaller Wolverines all game, shot 5 of 13 from the floor and 4 of 10 from the foul line. The Buckeyes survived a major scare in the quarterfinal before putting away Northwestern 67-61 in overtime.

ABOUT PENN STATE (19-13): The Lions won the NIT two seasons ago before stumbling to an 11-20 record last season, including a Big Ten-worst 3-15. The Lions looked strong early in conference play this season after wins against ranked Illinois and Michigan State before slumping. However, they’re recovered to win four straight, five of six and seven of nine. Battle, who has 2,167 career points, drained four 3-pointers to stretch a one-point lead to 42-33 Saturday, and the Spartans couldn’t recover. The senior sharpshooter finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and got plenty of help from sophomore backcourt mate Tim Frazier, who averages five points per game. Frazier, the lone non-senior starter, scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting and added eight rebounds and seven assists. Battle, who shot 3 of 18 in the Lions’ 36-33 quarterfinal win Friday over Wisconsin, shot 7 of 16 in this one, including 6 of 11 from the arc.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sullinger converted two three-point plays in the final minute to provide Ohio State a 69-66 home win Jan. 15. Sullinger finished with 19 points as did fellow freshman Aaron Craft. Battle was held to 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting, including 1 of 10 from the arc. David Jackson led the Lions with 19. The Buckeyes got a school-record 10 3-pointers in 12 attempts from Diebler - he missed his first and last attempt - in an 82-61 demolition March 1 in Happy Valley. He finished with a career-high 30 points. Sullinger had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Battle led the Lions with 18 in his final home game.

UP NEXT: Win or lose, Ohio State is expected to receive a No. 1 seed, while Penn State may have already done enough to save coach Ed DeChellis' job with an NCAA bid.

TRENDS:

- Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
- Nittany Lions are 6-1-1 ATS in their last eight games overall.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last five neutral site games as favorites.
- Under is 7-3 in Nittany Lions' last 10 neutral site games.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Buckeyes' last seven overall.

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PREDICTION:  $20

Is the Miami Heat still the pride of South Beach???

The Miami Heat, the pride of South Beach, don’t have much to be proud of these days. The club that went from longshot to odds-on favorite to win the NBA championship last July is on a five-game losing streak and hasn’t covered the spread in any of its last seven contests.And even though the Heat have disappointed all season against the league’s best teams, it wasn’t until recently that bookmakers dropped them from their perch on the NBA futures board. 

Mike Seba, senior oddsmaker at Las Vegas Sports Consultants, readily admits, at this point, that the Miami Heat should be a +300 choice at best to win the championship this season. But he said he’s not inclined to take the number to that point anytime soon, even with the Three Amigos of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the midst of a major slump.

Seba had the Heat as +160 favorites at the beginning of the season. He’s had to adjust based on the Heat’s current slide – which included a 105-96 home loss to Portland on Tuesday night – along with their increasingly poor record against good squads. They are 3-10 (2-10-1 ATS) in their last 13 games against winning teams, including 0-7 straight up and against the spread in the last seven. And Miami is a meager 1-9 against the five NBA teams that have a better record.

The futures line adjustments have been small, though.

“I had to make them (8-5) to win the title at the beginning, even though they were probably more like 5-2,” Seba told Covers.com. “I had them at 2-1 last week, and now I’ve got them at 5-2.”

That still leaves the Heat as Seba’s third choice to take the title; he has the surging, two-time defending champion Lakers at 2-1, and though he has both Boston and Miami at 5-2, he favors the Celtics.

“You can’t have the Heat at 9-5 or 2-1, because they don’t deserve to be that low, based on how they’re playing,” he said. “Legitimately, they should be 3-1 or 7-2 right now.”

National League East odds and season win total picks

The National League East in 2011 is about simple math, adding and subtracting.
The Philadelphia Phillies added Cliff Lee to formulate arguably the best starting staff in baseball in decades. Bobby Cox will no longer be in the Atlanta dugout, but the Braves front office added offensive punch attempting to catch the Phillies.

Florida is blending fresh young players into the starting lineup and new bullpen arms could make a good group of quality starters even better. The New York Mets made a deal with the devil (Bernie Madoff) which could cost them on and off the field. Intriguing Washington off-season acquisitions cooked up the “hot stove” league talk, but with no Steve Strasburg in sight for 2011, Beltway baseball will feature more losing.

Atlanta Braves

Last season record: 91-71
Projected season win total: 88
Odds to win: +458

Biggest losses: Bobby Cox, OF Melky Cabrera
Biggest additions: 2B Dan Uggla, RHR Scott Linebrink

Braves Outlook: New manager Fredi Gonzalez would like to be baseball’s version of Aaron Rodgers in succeeding Brett Favre. Gonzalez could have a tall order after Atlanta engineered 91 victories and a playoff appearance last season. The Braves led the majors in final at-bat wins with 25.

The Tomahawks have a nice combination of youth and experience in the everyday lineup with young fellas like RF Jason Heyward and presumably 20-year old Freddie Freeman at first base. Catcher Brian McCann, CF Nate McLouth and 2B Dan Uggla should all be in their prime, while Chipper Jones and SS Alex Gonzalez try to contribute in down side of their careers. Uggla was brought in to beef up the offense, yet his iron-glove defense is a negative.

Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe bring a wealth of pitching experience and knowledge to the mound each time out, but how much longer can they be top of the rotation hurlers? Jair Jurrjens is an obvious talent, but can he stay healthy? Tommy Hanson seems to fight himself as much as the opposition.

Season win total pick: Under 88.5

Florida Marlins

Last season record: 80-82
Projected season win total: 82
Odds to win: +1204

Biggest loss: 2B Dan Uggla
Biggest additions: C John Buck, LHR Randy Choate

Marlins Outlook: It’s the final season in cavernous Sun Life Stadium for the Marlins and this is an organization that builds and rebuilds like no other. Last season outfielders Mike Stanton and Logan

Cover all the bases: How to bet MLB spring training & why we don't

Heading south to catch some MLB spring training action or even tuning in during a lazy afternoon is harmless. You get to check out the newest crop of players and pitchers while catching up with some of your old favorites.But the second you start betting on spring training baseball, you might be in trouble. The majority of sharp bettors stay clear of spring training because there is no discernable edge over the sportsbooks. And that’s a big red light when it comes to pro handicappers.

“While logic would tend to dictate playing on the team putting more of its better players on the field, that is not really the way that many of the games play out,” our MLB Expert says of exhibition baseball. “When starters are on the field, they often lack any real urgency and instead just focus on slowly getting into shape, not risking injury. Meanwhile, when younger players were on the field they would be playing much harder, trying to either win a job immediately or create a favorable impression that could lead to an earlier call-up later in the season.”

The sharps’ logic makes perfect sense. But there is one colossal conundrum: Sports bettors love action.

If we all did the right things we would be thinner, not smoke or drink, eat more fruits and vegetables and watch Dancing With The Stars with our significant other every week. Guess what, maybe half those things happen for awhile and then, faster than a line drive, we do what we want. 

If you are going to wager on spring training baseball, place yourself in the best possible situation to win by following these tips:

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BIG EAST WEDNESDAY: UConn at West Virginia

Connecticut Huskies @ W. Virginia Mountaineers
Wed, March 2, 2011, 7pm ET, ESPN2
Line: West Virginia -4.5
Total: 131

The 16th-ranked Connecticut Huskies (21-7, 9-7 Big East) and West Virginia Mountaineers (18-10, 9-7) are stuck in a logjam in the race for one of the conference’s top eight spots in their postseason tournament and can clear things up a bit on Wednesday in a key league matchup. The Mountaineers (-4.5) host the Huskies and can vault over them in the standings with a victory, as both teams are involved in a four-way tie for seventh place at the moment.

However, West Virginia has been unable to find any consistency lately, something that could leave the team playing on the first day of conference tourney action with another loss here. The Mountaineers have failed to post consecutive wins since beating Seton Hall a month ago. They are 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games to go along with a 3-4 straight-up record during that stretch and coming off a 65-54 victory at Rutgers on Sunday.

THE NBA WEST TOP 10 WEEK RECAP & OUTLOOK

(Straight-Up, Against the Spread, Over/Under)

1) San Antonio (49-10, 34-23-2, 29-30)
Weekly Recap: The Spurs continue to roll with a three straight home victories over the Thunder, Nets, and Grizzlies, although Gregg Popovich's club failed to cover each game. The offense keeps clicking since a 71-point effort at Philadelphia on February 11 by scoring at least 100 points in four of the last six games.

Weekly Outlook: The best in the West will be without point guard Tony Parker, who is sidelined with a calf injury for two to four weeks. San Antonio finishes a home-and-home set with Memphis at FedEx Forum on Tuesday night. The Spurs turn around on Wednesday to take on the league's worst team at Cleveland, before returning to AT&T Center for four games. The homestand begins with the Heat on Friday, followed by a visit from the Lakers on Sunday.

2) Dallas (43-16, 33-24-2, 35-24)
Weekly Recap: If it wasn't for the Spurs, the Mavericks would be leading the Southwest Division with room to spare. Dallas took care of Utah at home, the fifth straight SU/ATS win for the Mavs. Rick Carlisle's team knocked off a pair of also-rans in Washington and Toronto, while rallying from a 22-3 deficit in a blowout of the Raptors.

Weekly Outlook: Dallas wraps up a three-game road trip at Philadelphia on Tuesday, followed by a two-game homestand that starts against Indiana on Friday. The week concludes with a Sunday meeting with Memphis, as the Mavs look to split the season series at two apiece with a win.

3) L.A. Lakers (42-19, 29-31-1, 25-36)
Weekly Recap: The Lakers rebounded nicely from a horrid ending to their Grammys road trip with four consecutive wins over the Hawks, Blazers, Clippers, and Thunder. The offense saw a nice jolt with three straight 100+ point efforts at home, while cashing each time as a favorite.

Weekly Outlook: The Purple and Gold finishes up a brief two-game road trip at Minnesota on Tuesday. Los Angeles returns home for a matchup with Charlotte on Friday, while the Lakers hit the highway for four games starting Sunday against the Spurs.

4) Oklahoma City (36-22, 29-29, 34-24)
Weekly Recap: Following a 23-point blowout of the Clippers on Tuesday, the Thunder dropped three games to the Spurs, Magic, and Thunder. Oklahoma City dealt swingman Jeff Green to Boston in a four-player trade, as the Thunder has lost three straight games for the first time all season.

Weekly Outlook: The Thunder looks to rebound against the Pacers on Wednesday, as OKC won at Conseco Fieldhouse in overtime on November 26. Oklahoma City heads to Atlanta on Friday, as the Thunder is just 4-6 ATS the last ten games on the highway. The week wraps up back at home against Phoenix on Sunday, with the road team splitting the first two meetings this season.