NCAA Final Four Betting Preview- VCU Rams vs. Butler Bulldogs

Pointspread: Butler-2 ½

Over/Under: 133

This Saturday the highest combination of seeds ever to meet in a Final Four game will take place when the No.11 VCU Rams, winners of the Southwest Region take on the No.8 seed Butler Bulldogs, who won the Southeast at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Game time is set for 6:05 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast on CBS.

VCU was a ?last four in? team in the expanded field of 68 teams for the NCAA Men?s Tournament. The Rams quickly proved they belonged with wins over USC in the play-in game and Georgetown in the second round. They caught everyone?s attention with a 94-76 rout of No.3 seed Purdue as a 9 ½-point underdog in round three and a 72-71 OT win over No.10 Florida State in the Sweet 16 as a 4 ½-point underdog.

VCU became the basketball story of year with a stunning 71-61 upset of No.1 seed Kansas in the Elite Eight as an 11-point underdog. The heart and soul of the team, Joey Rodriguez has done an excellent job of directing the offense and Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess have provided the points, especially from beyond the arc where the Rams are shooting 43.8 percent.

No one expected Butler to repeat it dramatic run to the 2010 title game, but after the Bulldogs knocked-off No.1 seed Pittsburgh 71-70 in the third round as an eight-point underdog, the path to Houston was clearly staked-out. They beat No.4 seed Wisconsin 61-54 in the Sweet 16 as a 4 ½-point underdog and outlasted No.2 seed Florida 74-71 in overtime in the Elite Eight.

Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack, who both played a significant role in last year?s run, have elevated their game to an even higher level this year. Howard is averaging 16.3 points and seven rebounds and Mack is averaging 21.3 points, including putting up 30 points against Pitt and 27 in the win over the Gators.

There will be no shortage of guts and determination in this game and it is actually unfortunate that one of these teams has to lose. Butler uses its edge in experience to grind-out a win, but stick with VCU and the 2 ½-points in a game that will fittinglycome down to the final possession.

NCAA Final Four Betting Preview- VCU Rams vs. Butler Bulldogs

NCAA Final Four Betting Preview- Connecticut Huskies vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Pointspread: Kentucky -2 ½

Over/Under: 140

Two of the more storied programs in men?s college basketball will face one another in this year?s NCAA Tournament?s Final Four when the Connecticut Huskies tangle with the Kentucky Wildcats in the second game on Saturday?s schedule. Tip-off from Reliant Field in Houston is set for 8:49 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast on CBS.

Connecticut comes into this game riding a nine-game winning streak that started with round one of the Big East Conference Tournament. The Huskies rolled over Bucknell and Cincinnati in the first two rounds of this tournament before making a statement with a 74-67 victory over No.2 seed San Diego State in the Sweet 16 as a two-point underdog. They then held off No.4 seed Arizona 65-63 as a 3 ½-point favorite to advance to the Final Four.

Much of the credit for the nine game run has to go to Kemba Walker, who has been absolutely spectacular over the past month. He is averaging 26.8 points a game in this tournament including a game-high 36 points in the win over the Aztecs and a team-high 20 points against the Wildcats. Freshman guard/forward Jeremy Lamb has also been key with 18.3 points a game including 24 against San Diego State and 19 against Arizona.

Kentucky?s three freshmen starters grew up in a hurry by surviving an early scare against No.13 seed Princeton with a 59-57 win as a 12 ½ -point favorite. Next the Wildcats took out No.5 seed West Virginia 71-63 as a 3 ½-point favorite. They proved they can handle the pressure of the spotlight with a 62-60 victory over No.1 seed Ohio State in the Sweet 16 as a 5 ½-point underdog. Kentucky made its way into the Final Four by grinding out a 76-69 win over No.2 seed North Carolina as a 1 ½-point favorite in the Elite Eight.

The brightest star of them all has been Brandon Knight, who hit the game-winning jumper against the Buckeyes and scored a team-high 22 points against the Tar Heels. DeAndre Liggens and Josh Harrelson have been able to add some veteran leadership to the team. These two came up huge against Ohio State with a combined 33 points.

The Huskies beat Kentucky 84-67 earlier in the season as a 4 ½-point road underdog, but that should have little bearing on this game. This time around expect a back-and-forth battle that goes down to the bitter end. Once again Walker proves to be the difference in a one or two point Connecticut victory.

NCAA Final Four Betting Preview- Connecticut Huskies vs. Kentucky Wildcats

MLB Game Preview:- Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees

Detroit +130

New York -160

8o -105

This Thursday is opening day for Major League Baseball as the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees kick off the 2011 regular season in the American League with a 1:05 p.m. (ET) start at Yankee Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Detroit finished third in the AL Central last season with an overall record of 81-81, but enters the 2011 season with renewed optimism after a productive spring campaign that resulted in a 20-14 record. Injury concerns still surround 2B Carlos Guillen but the Tigers? potent lineup still has the bats of 1B Miguel Cabrera and RF Magglio Ordonez along with Victor Martinez filling the role of DH to get the job done.

The Tigers will send their ?ace? Justin Verlander to the mound for opening day. The right hander went 18-9 in 2010 with an ERA of 3.37 in 33 starts. He recorded 219 strikeouts and had a WHIP of 1.16. This will be his fourth career opening day outing with a loss and two no-decisions in his previous three games.

New York is set for another AL East division run after finishing second the Tampa Bay last season by just one game with an overall record of 95-67. The Yankees? lineup remains pretty much intact from last season after signing Derek Jeter to a long-term deal. Jeter, along with Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira should once again provide enough offensive firepower to make New York one of the highest scoring teams in the league.

Left hander C C Sabathia will get the start for the Yankees in this one. He is coming off a 2010 campaign in which he went 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 34 starts. He ended the season with a WHIP of 1.19 and 197 strikeouts. He was 11-2 with an ERA of 3.00 at Yankee Stadium last year.

The Yankees are 6-1 against Detroit in the last seven games at home and 9-4 in the last 13 games overall. The total has stayed ?under? in eight of the last 11 meetings. This time around stick with New York to continue its domination of this series in a game that stays ?under? the eight run total line.

MLB Game Preview:- Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees

Point Spread: Buckeyes -6 Game Total Line: 140 The No.4 seed Kentucky Wildcats will look to keep their dream of a national title alive when the face the No.1 seed Ohio State Buckeyes this upcoming Friday night in the Sweet 16 round of this year?s NCAA Men?s Tournament. This East Region semifinal from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. is set to tip at 9:45 p.m. (ET) and will be broadcast nationally on CBS. Kentucky needed to hold-off a persistent No.13 seed Princeton team in the second round to squeak-out a 59-57 win as a 12 ½-point favorite. The Wildcats looked much more at ease in a third round 71-63 victory over No.5 seed West Virginia as a 3 ½-point favorite that advanced them to Sweet 16. Part of Kentucky?s lack of consistency can be attributed to the fact it has three starters that are making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Brandon Knight leads the team in scoring with 17.4 points a game, while Terrence Jones is second in scoring with 16.1 points and has a team-high 8.7 rebounds a game. A third freshman, Doron Lamb has also been a key contributor with 12.6 points a game. Ohio State turned in a couple of brisk workouts in its first two tournament games with a 75-46 rout of No.16 seed UT-San Antonio and a 98-66 dismantling of No.8 seed George Mason as an 11 ½-point favorite. The Buckeye?s freshman sensation Jared Sullinger has been relatively quiet in these first two games with a total of 29 points after leading the team with an average of 17.2 a game in the regular season. William Bufford led the way against the Roadrunners with 18 points and David Lighty stepped up against the Patriots with a game-high 25 points. Ohio State is just too deep for the Wildcats to keep this game close for 40 minutes. Look for Sullinger to turn in a monster game as Ohio State rolls to its third straight double-digit win in this tournament.

 

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Betting Preview: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Point Spread: Huskies -1

Over/Under : 130

The closest matchup on tap for Thursday pits the No.2 seed San Diego State Aztecs against the No.3 seed Connecticut Huskies in the West Region semifinals of this year?s NCAA Men?s Tournament. Game time from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. is set for 7:15 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on CBS.

San Diego State had a fairly easy time of it against No.15 seed Northern Colorado in its first game with a 68-50 win as a 14 ½-point favorite. Things got a bit dicey from there as the Aztecs needed two overtimes to knock-out No.7 seed Temple 71-64 as a 5 ½-point favorite to advance to the Sweet 16.

Billy White led the way against Temple with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds and sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard matched his total with 16 points of his own and added nine more rebounds in the win. Leonard leads San Diego State with 15.6 points and 10.6 rebounds a game, while Malcolm Thomas has also been a key contributor with 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds a game.

Connecticut came into this tournament with a five game winning streak and ran it to seven with an 81-52 rout of No.14 seed Bucknell in the second round as a 10-point favorite, followed by a 69-58 win over Big East foe No.7 seed Cincinnati as a 3 ½-point favorite.

Kemba Walker recorded 18 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists in the win over the Bisons, but lit up the scoreboard against the Bearcats with a game-high 33 points including 16 down the stretch to close-out the win. Jeremy Lamb added 14 points and Alex Oriakhi pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to support Walker?s effort.

This game will come down to the Aztecs? ability to win the battle of the boards against the 11th-best rebounding team in the country as well as try and contain Walker, who appears to be just warming up. Add in the Huskies? momentum coming into this game and it all points to a trip to the Elite Eight for Connecticut.

 

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Betting Preview: San Diego State vs. Connecticut Huskies

Point Spread: Florida -3

Game Total Line: 149

Thursday?s action in the Southeast Region kicks off with the No.3 seed BYU Cougars tangling with the No.2 seed Florida Gators in the Sweet 16 round of this year?s NCAA Men?s Tournament. Tip-off from the Superdome in New Orleans is set for 7:27 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on TBS.

BYU opened-up the tournament with a 74-66 win over No. 14 seed Wofford as an 8 ½-point favorite. The Cougars then proceeded to roll over No.11 seed Gonzaga 89-67 as a one-point favorite to advance to the Sweet 16.

There was some genuine concern when BYU decided to dismiss its leading rebounder and third highest scorer Brandon Davies from the team due to violations of the school?s personal conduct policy, but so far the team has not missed a beat without him. Much of this is due to the fact that Jimmer Fredette has averaged 33 points a game to help mask the Cougars? problems underneath the boards.

Florida made its way into this round with a 79-51 romp over No.15 seed UC Santa Barbara in the second round as a 12 ½-point favorite, followed by a 73-65 win over No.7 seed UCLA as a 5 ½-point favorite.

Erving Walker turned in a game-high 21 point performance against the Bruins after leading the team all season long with an average of 14.7 points a game. Kenny Boynton, who is averaging 14 points a game, added 12 points and five assists against UCLA before leaving the game with a slightly sprained left ankle. He is currently listed as probable and should be ready to go for Thursday?s game.

These two teams faced one another in the first round of last year?s NCAA Tournament with BYU coming away with a thrilling 99-92 victory in double-overtime as a five-point favorite. You can expect another close, hard-fought battle this time around as well, but stick with Florida to come out on top with a win that just barely covers the three-point spread.

 

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Betting Preview: BYU Cougars vs. Florida Gators Betting Odds

Pointspread: Orlando -1.5

Over/Under: 203

The Orlando Magic bring a three-game winning streak into Madison Square Garden tonight to face the New York Knicks, who have lost their last three games. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Orlando currently has a stranglehold on the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference with a five game lead over Atlanta, but it still has its sights set on winning the Southeast Division given that the Magic are just 3 ½-games in back of Miami. Their 97-86 win over Cleveland on Monday as a 12-point road favorite raised their overall record to 42-26 straight-up, but dropped them to 30-40-1 against the spread.

Dwight Howard scored 28 points and pulled down 18 rebounds against the Cavaliers and continues to lead the way for Orlando with 23 points and 14.3 rebounds a game. Jason Richardson is second in scoring with 14.2 points a game and Jameer Nelson leads the team in assists with six a game. The Magic are shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and scoring 99.7 points a game.

New York finds itself in desperate need of a few wins after falling to seventh-place in the East standings with a 4-6 SU record in its last 10 games. The Knicks followed up a 100-95 loss to Milwaukee this past Sunday as a two-point road favorite with a 96-86 loss to Boston as a 1 ½-point home underdog on Monday night. They are now 35-35 SU and 40-38-2 ATS.

With Amar?e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony each averaging around 25 points a game and Chauncey Billips averaging close to 20 it is no surprise that New York is the second highest scoring team in the NBA. The main problem with this team is its inability or lack of desire to play defense. The plan of trying to outscore your opponent every night is just not getting the job done.

Orlando has a 2-0 series edge this season with a 112-103 victory on Dec.30 as a 7 ½-point home favorite and a 116-110 win earlier this month as a seven-point home favorite. This time around the Knicks find a way to stop their recent slide in a game that goes well over the 203 point total line.

 

NBA Betting Preview: Orlando Magic at New York Knicks

Pointspread: Miami -4.5

Over/Under: 185

The Miami Heat will look to bounce back from a tough loss to Oklahoma City when they take on the Southeast rival Atlanta Hawks this Friday night at Philips Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be available on NBA League Pass.

Miami appeared to put its demons to rest with wins over the LA Lakers and San Antonio, but a 96-85 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday night as a six-point home favorite once again raises more questions than answers for this team. The loss dropped the Heat to 46-22 straight-up (32-35-1 against the spread) and three games behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade continue to put up the points and Chris Bosh keeps pulling down the rebounds, but as a team Miami continues to blow leads and miss key shots down the stretch. Against the Thunder, it shot just 38.5 percent from the field and a woeful 17.6 percent from three-point range. The Heat are shooting 47.6 percent on the season which is the fourth-best percentage in the league.

Atlanta is 39-29 SU on the year (30-38 ATS) and in fifth-place in the East, but it is just 2-5 SU in its last seven games including a 102-87 pasting at the hands of Denver as a two-point home favorite on Wednesday night. The Hawks have not won more than three games in a row since early January.

The big three for Atlanta consists of Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Al Horford. Johnson leads the team with 19 points and 4.9 assists a game while Smith is averaging 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds and Horford is adding 15.7 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds a game. The Hawks are ranked 25th in the NBA in scoring with an average of 95.5 points a game, but are ranked eighth in the league in points allowed; giving up an average of 95.1.

These two teams have split this season with the Heat winning the first game 89-77 as an 8 ½-point home favorite and the Hawks winning the last game 93-89 in overtime as a 5 ½-point road underdog. Stick with Miami to break the tie with an outright win, but take the Hawks to keep it close enough to cover with the points.

 

NBA Betting Preview: Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks

Pointspread: New York -4.5

Over/Under: 213.5

The Memphis Grizzlies will try and avenge last week?s two-point loss to the New York Knicks at home when the two teams meet again this Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be available on NBA League Pass.

Memphis is currently clinging to a two-game lead over Utah for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies are coming off a 105-82 romp over the LA Clippers this past Monday night as a 5 ½-point home favorite that raised their record to 37-31 straight-up on the year and 42-25-1 against the spread.

Injuries remain the big story for this team as Rudy Gay is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury and both Marc Gasol and Jason Williams are listed as questionable for this game. If they cannot go, look for Zach Randolph, who leads the team with 20.3 points and 12.7 rebounds a game and Mike Conley, who is the third leading scorer with 13.9 points and a team-high 6.6 assists a game, to fill the void.

The welcome home party in New York for Carmelo Anthony is over as three straight losses have cut its lead over Philadelphia for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference to just a half a game. Even more concerning are the back-to-back losses to Indiana in its last two games. First, the Knicks were crushed 106-93 last Sunday as a nine-point home favorite and then they dropped a 119-117 decision as a five-point road favorite on Tuesday. The recent setbacks have dropped them to 34-32 SU overall and 39-25-2 ATS.

Anthony and Amar?e Stoudemire are each averaging around 26 points a game and Billups is averaging close to 20, but a paper-thin defense continues to allow the losses to pile up. New York is second in the league in scoring but second-to-last in points allowed. It also has one of the worst rebounding differentials in the NBA.

The Knicks beat the Grizzlies 110-108 last Wednesday as a 4 ½-point road underdog and should be able to take advantage of Memphis?s depleted lineup to notch another victory at home. Stick with the Knicks to win and cover thepoints in this one to keep their current losing streak from reaching four.

 

NBA Betting Preview: Memphis Grizzlies at New York Knicks

The No.9 seed Connecticut Huskies take on the No.8 seed Georgetown Hoyas this Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden to kick off the second round of the 2011 Big East Men?s Basketball Tournament. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Connecticut showed little signs of rust in its opening round game against No.16 seed DePaul after dropping four of its final five games to close out the regular season. The 97-71 victory over the Blue Demons as a 14 ½-point favorite was hardly a surprise from a team that was in the top 10 rankings earlier in the season. The win raised the Huskies record to 22-9 straight-up and to 14-11 against the spread.

This game was never in doubt as Connecticut kept the pressure on from the opening tip to build a 17 point lead by the half. Kemba Walker led the way for UConn in the Big East opener with a game-high 26 points while Jeremy Lamb added another 19 points in the winning effort. The Huskies completely dominated an out-manned DePaul team by outrebounding the Demons by a margin of 44-20.

Georgetown suffered its own slide down the stretch with four losses in its final five games including a 69-47 loss to Cincinnati as a four-point road underdog in the season finale. The Hoyas 10-8 SU record in conference play was just good enough to earn a bye in the first round. They finished the regular season 21-9 SU (15-14 ATS).

Austin Freeman comes into this tournament as Georgetown?s biggest scoring threat with an average 17.8 points a game. Chris Wright is the team?s second leading scorer with 13.1 points a game and he leads in assists with 5.4. The Hoyas are averaging 71 points a game and shooting 48 percent from the field.

The Huskies beat Georgetown 78-70 earlier in the season as a 2 ½-point home favorite, but this time around it?s the well-rested Hoyas turn to come away with the win to earn a shot at No.1 seed Pittsburgh in Thursday?s quarterfinals.

The Pick: Georgetown 74-71

 

2011 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament- Round Two: Connecticut Huskies vs. Georgetown Hoyas

Pointspread: Memphis 2 ½

Over/Under: 214

The New York Knicks will look to make it three wins in a row when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies this Wednesday night at FedEx Forum in Memphis. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.

Since pulling off the blockbuster trade with Denver that finally brought Carmelo Anthony to the Big Apple, the Knicks have won five of their last eight games and two straight. New York hammered Atlanta 92-79 as a 3 ½-point road underdog this past Sunday and then followed it up with 131-109 rout of Utah as a six-point home favorite on Monday night. It now has an overall record of 33-29 straight-up and is 38-22-2 against the spread. The Knicks are currently in sixth-place in the Eastern Conference.

Amar?e Stoudimire still leads the team with 26.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, but Anthony is a close second in scoring with 25.9 points a game since joining the team and is also pulling down 6.3 boards a game. Chauncey Billips, who has averaged 23.2 points and six assists in his four games with the team, remains questionable for this one with a bruised leg.

Memphis has also been playing well as of late with three wins in its last four games including an impressive 104-103 victory over Dallas last Sunday as a 6 ½-point road favorite and a 107-101 win over Oklahoma City as a three-point home favorite this past Monday. The Grizzlies are clinging to the eighth spot in the Western Conference with an overall record of 36-29 SU. They have been especially good ATS this season with a record of 41-23-1.

Despite the fact that Memphis lost Rudy Gay for what could end up being the rest of the year, this team?s offensive production has not dropped off as guys like Tony Allen, Mike Conley, and Sam Young have been able to pick up the slack in his absence. It also does not hurt to have a guy like Zach Randolph on the roster, who leads the team with 20.2 points and 12.9 rebounds a game.

Head-to-head, Memphis has won four of the last six games SU and is 3-2-1 ATS. The total has gone ?over? in five of the last six meetings. Stick with the Grizzlies to win a cover this time around as they remain a tough team to beat at home with a 5-1 record ATS in their last six.

 

NBA Betting Preview - New York Knicks at Memphis Grizzlies

Pointspread: Heat -5

Over/Under: 199

The Orlando Magic will try and even the season series against the Miami Heat to two games apiece this Thursday night when these two Southeast Division foes clash at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

Orlando closed the gap with the Heat in the division to 4 ½ games with three straight wins including an impressive 116-110 victory over the new-look New York Knicks as a seven-point home favorite this past Tuesday night. The Magic are currently 39-22 straight-up overall and 28-32-1 against the spread. They are in fourth-place in the Eastern Conference; 5 ½ games behind Boston.

Dwight Howard leads the Magic with 23.2 points and is second in the NBA in rebounds with 13.9 a game. Jason Richardson is second on the team with 13.4 points and Jameer Nelson has a team-high 6.2 assists. Orlando is ranked sixth in the league in point differential; scoring an average of 100.3 points a game while giving up 94.3.

Miami has not beaten a team with a winning record since its 104-100 victory over the Magic on Feb.3 as a one-point road underdog. The Heat are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games and 43-17 SU overall (29-30-1 ATS). They trail the Celtics in the East by one game.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are each averaging around 26 points and seven rebounds a game. The third member of South Beach?s big three, Chris Bosh is third on the team in scoring with 18.3 points a game and first in rebounds with 8.2. Miami has the best point differential in the league; scoring an average of 102 points a game while holding its opponents to 94.4.

The Heat routed Orlando 96-70 as a four-point home favorite earlier this season and while this game should remain competitive until the end, stick with Miami to find a way to win and cover the five-point spread this time around as well.

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NBA Betting Preview - Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat

Pointspread: Jazz -3

Over/Under: 209 ½

The Denver Nuggets square off against the Utah Jazz this Thursday night in the third of four meetings between these two teams this season. Tip-off from Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City is set for 10:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

Denver has spent the past week adjusting to life after Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billips in light off last Monday?s blockbuster trade with New York. The new-look Nuggets have already posted victories over two winning teams with an 89-75 rout of Boston last Thursday as a 4 ½-point home underdog and a 100-90 win over Atlanta as a 6 ½-point favorite this past Monday. They are in fifth-place in the Western Conference at 35-26 straight-up (28-30-3) heading into tonight?s game against Charlotte.

Former Knick Wilson Chandler is off to a great start with his new team, averaging 17 points and 5.3 rebounds in three games. The Nuggets have averaged 98.3 points in those three games while giving up an average of just 90.7.

Utah is forging ahead without its All-Star guard Deron Williams, who was traded to New Jersey last week. The Jazz have not fared as well since he left with three losses in their last four games including a 107-102 loss to the Celtics on Monday as a 4 ½-point home underdog. They are now 32-29 SU overall (26-24-1 ATS) and in 10th place in the West.

Devin Harris, who came over from the Nets, has averaged 16.7 points with Utah which is slightly better than his season average of 15.1 points per game. Al Jefferson leads the team with 18 points and 9.2 rebounds a game, while Paul Millsap is second with 17.3 points and 7.9 rebounds. The Jazz have averaged 102 points in their last four games after averaging 99.6 points on the year.

Both teams are still trying to adjust to life without their franchiseplayer, but Denver appears to be much more determined to prove it is still a contending team in the West than Utah has. Stick with the Nuggets to take a 2-1 season series edge with a straight-up win on the road.

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NBA Betting Preview - Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz

NCAA Men?s Basketball Betting Previews

New Mexico Lobos vs. No.3 Brigham Young Cougars

Pointspread: BYU -12

Over/Under: 149

The New Mexico Lobos will try and play the role of spoiler when they take on the BYU Cougars tonight at the Marriott Center in Provo. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast regionally.

New Mexico snapped a recent four-game losing streak with an 80-70 victory over TCU as a 7 ½-point road favorite this past Saturday. The win pushed the Lobos to 18-11 straight-up on the year and 12-13-1 against the spread. They are currently tied with Utah for fifth-place in the Mountain West with a 6-8 SU conference record.

Dairese Gary leads four New Mexico players scoring in double-figures with 14.5 points and is averaging a team-high 5.5 assists a game. Drew Gordon leads the team with 10.3 rebounds a game and is the second leading scorer with 12.5 points. The Lobos are shooting 46.5 percent from the field and scoring an average of 74 points a game.

BYU is riding-high after its second dominating victory of the season over conference rival No.9 San Diego State. The Cougars beat the Aztecs 71-58 on Jan.26 as a 5 ½-point home favorite and then completed the sweep on the road this past Saturday with an 80-67 win as a 4 ½-point underdog. BYU is currently 27-2 SU overall (12-13 ATS) and 13-1 SU in the Mountain West.

The primary reason for the Cougars? success this season has been the stellar play of Jimmer Fredette. He leads the nation in scoring with 27.3 points a game while leading the team in assists with 4.3. One interesting development to keep an eye on for this game is the recent suspension of Brandon Davies, who is averaging 11.1 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds a game.

The loss of Davies should not affect BYU in this game as it puts the finishing touches on a spectacular regular season. Stick with the Cougars to win and cover the 12 points at homeas they avenge an earlier 86-77 loss to the Lobos in a game they were favored by 2 1/2-points on the road.

 

NCAA Basketball Preview: New Mexico Lobos vs. No.3 Brigham Young Cougars

Pointspread: Chicago -2 ½

Over/Under: 185

The Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks will play each other for the first time this season in what will be the first of three meetings scheduled for the month of March. Tonight?s tip-off from Philips Arena is set for 7 p.m. (ET) and the game will be available on NBA League Pass.

Chicago continues to push for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with seven wins in its last 10 games including three straight heading into tonight. The Bulls ran their record to 41-17 straight-up (35-21-2 against the spread) with a 105-77 romp over Washington as a 7 ½-point road favorite this past Monday night. They are currently just two games behind Boston in the standings.

Derrick Rose continues to put up MVP-like numbers with 24.8 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.4 rebounds a game while Carlos Boozer is second in scoring with 18.9 points and second in rebounds with 9.7. Chicago got a major lift when their leading rebounder Joakim Noah returned to the lineup after missing close to 30 games with a thumb injury.

Atlanta went 3-4 SU in its recent seven-game road trip and is coming off a 100-90 loss to Denver as a 6 ½-point road underdog this past Monday. The Hawks are 36-24 SU on the year and 27-33 ATS. They are currently in fifth-place in the East; eight games back.

The Hawks have five players scoring in double-figures led by Joe Johnson?s 19.3 points a game. Josh Smith is second with 16.7 points while Al Horford is averaging 16 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds a game. Jamal Crawford remains one of the best players off the bench with 15 points and 3.2 assists per game.

Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last five games on the road and Atlanta is 3-3 ATS in its last six games at home. Head-to-head, the Hawks have won seven of the last eight games SU and are 6-1 ATS.

Stick with Atlanta as a 2 ½-point underdog as it responds with an outright win at home after a long road trip.

 

NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks

The NCAA men's basketball regular season is winding down as teams look to add a few more wins to improve their position for their individual conference tournaments as well as the NCAA Men?s Basketball Tournament which starts on March 15. The primary goal for a number of teams between now and then is to first and foremost secure an invitation to the dance, but the ultimate goal for the elite programs in the country is to earn as low a seed as possible to begin their quest for a national title.

The field for this year's tournament has been expanded from 65 teams to 68 teams with the first round consisting of the last four at-large bids and the final four automatic qualifiers. The winners of these four games will advance to the second round which consists of the traditional 64 team field. While this may add some excitement tothe tournament as a whole, the reality is there are still only a handful of teams that have a legitimate chance to be named this year's National Champions.

The following is a look at a few of the teams that have the best chance to win it all along with their current odds as provided by VietBet.com.

Big Ten power Ohio State is the current odds-on-favorite to win the 2011 men's championship at +450. The Buckeyes were soundly beaten by Purdue 76-63 a week ago, but they still have a one-game lead over the Boilermakers in the conference at 13-2 and are 26-2 overall. Led by freshman phenom Jared Sullinger, Ohio State is as deep a team as any other in the country and a solid pick to go all the way.

The Duke Blue Devils are the second-favorite at +475to successfully defend their 2010 title with another national championship this season. It would be hard to bet against Duke as it is currently 26-2 on the year heading into Saturday's game against Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils are 12-1 in the ACC, but being doggedly pursued by a revitalized North Carolina team that is just one game back at 11-2. If the Blue Devils go on to lock-up one of the four No.1 seeds in the tournament, they should have a clear path to the Final Four.

The third-favorite at +600 are the Kansas Jayhawks. They are 24-4 overall this season, but actually one game in back of Texas in the Big 12 with an 11-2 record in conference play including a 74-63 loss to the Longhorns early this year. This loss could end up being the difference between a one or two seed in the tournament and a tougher path to the finals if Kansas ends up second in the conference.

Speaking of Texas, it is currently +600 as well. The Longhorns (24-4, 12-1) lost a bit of steam with a 70-67 loss to Nebraska, but remain a real threat to be the team cutting down the net in Houston the first week in April especially if they nail down a No.1 seed.

Pittsburgh is a team to watch at +1000and there are a couple of Cinderella's like San Diego State and Notre Dame at +3000that are more than capable of keeping things interesting as the madness of March wears on.

 

 

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The Sacramento Kings travel east to take on the Miami Heat this Tuesday night at the American Airlines Arena in a matchup of two teams headed in completely opposite directions. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) and it will be available on NBA League Pass. Sacramento?s dismal season has gone from bad to worse with seven losses in its last eight games. The Kings were blown out 126-96 by Oklahoma City last Tuesday as a nine-point road underdog and then trounced by Dallas 116-100 as an 11-point road underdog the following night. They are currently 13-40 straight-up on the season, but a slightly better 22-30-1 against the spread.

Second-year guard Tyreke Evans and rookie center DeMarcus Cousins continue to provide hope for the future of this team. Evans is averaging 18.3 points and 5.5 assists and Cousins is adding 14 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds. One thing to watch for this game is the playing status of Evans as he is listed as questionable with a foot injury.

Miami cruised into the All-Star break with nine victories in its last 10 games. It quickly bounced back from an 85-82 loss to Boston on Feb.13 as a 2 ½-point road favorite with a 110-103 win over Indiana as a five-point road favorite and a 103-95 victory over Toronto as a nine-point road favorite. The Heat are now tied atop the Eastern Conference with the Celtics at 41-15 SU (28-27-1 ATS).

Dwyane Wade tweaked his ankle in Sunday?s All-Star game but is listed as probable for this one. He joins LeBron James as Miami?s top scorers as each is averaging around 26 points a game. The third member of South Beach?s Big Three, Chris Bosh is third in scoring with 18.5 points and second in rebounds with 8.1 a game. Miami is averaging 102 points a game and has the highest scoring differential in the league over its opponents at +7.82.

With Evans out of the lineup the Kings have little or no chance to cover in this game. Even if he does play it will be a tall task for Sacramento to travel cross-country and remain competitive with the Heat for four quarters. Stick with Miami and give the 15 points in this one.

 

NBA Pick: Sacramento Kings at Miami Heat

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VietBet Preview

An industry leader since 2000, VietBet.com proudly maintains an A- rating from SBR. VietBet.comoperates under the 5Dimes Group (A+ rating) providing the best betting options, fast payouts, and world class support. VietBet.com offers new members a special 30% Bonus for deposits up to $1,000 when using the GamblingIQ Bonus Code GIQ30.
· More than 10 years in business
· A- Rated Sportsbook (Top 1% in the World)
· All Payouts Processed within 24 Hours
· Unparalleled Support Staff (Five Languages)
· Live Dealer Casino, Rebate and Bonus Casino
Customer Service: 800-604-5922 | customerservice@vietbet.com
Payment Methods: ACH, Person to Person, Credit / Debit Card, Check or Money Order, Click2Pay, Moneybookers, Neteller, InstaDebit, and Wire Transfer.
Maximum Bets: Up to $5,000 per game. On a parlay, teaser, IF wager, round robin, RIF chain or any combination of same teams in parlays the maximum payout is $150,000.
This Premium Sportsbotsbook also features alternate lines, reduced juice, international leagues, and an exciting Live Casino. Be sure to check out their no commission Paigow and amazing lottery payouts as well. Only available at VietBet.com today!