Isles Continue NHL Playoff Push in Philly

Flyers Look to Stay in NHL Playoff Hunt

The New York Islanders are fifth in the Metropolitan Division. That could still earn them a spot in the NHL playoffs. Their quest for a Wild Card berth continues Thursday night. They play on the road versus the Philadelphia Flyers. MSG+ and CSN provide local coverage starting at 7 PM ET. Oddsmakers have the Flyers as -135-favorites on the moneyline and the total is at 5 1/2.

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The Flyers are technically still in the race., With only seven games remaining in their regular season, they need to play some serious catch-up. That’s going to be difficult with Philly’s goaltending duo of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth struggling this year. They have hovered around the .90 save percentage this year. The Flyers are also 22^nd overall in scoring at 2.55 goals per game despite having some of the best puck possession stats in the league.

New York doesn’t control the puck nearly as well as Philadelphia, but the Isles have gotten decent results from No. 1 netminder Thomas Greiss (.914 SV%). Unfortunately for the Isles, health became an issue last week when RW Ryan Strome (13 goals, 17 assists) broke his wrist and LW Nikolai Kulemin (12 goals, 10 assists) suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury. It’s possible Kulemin will be ready for Thursday’s game, but Strome is expected to miss 3 to 6 weeks.

Betting Odds Trends

New York Islanders
NY Islanders is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Islanders is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Islanders's last 7 games
NY Islanders is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
NY Islanders is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
NY Islanders is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
NY Islanders is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Islanders's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
NY Islanders is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia

Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Philadelphia's last 13 games at home
Philadelphia is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing NY Islanders
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing NY Islanders
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing NY Islanders
Philadelphia is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against NY Islanders

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Will Spurs, Warriors Play Full Teams on Wednesday?

Spurs and Warriors Gearing up For Playoffs

Two teams known for resting key players, the Golden State Warriors (59-14) and the San Antonio Spurs (56-16), meet Wednesday at 9:30 PM ET in San Antonio. Hopefully, the stars will come out to play. Oddsmakers have the line set at San Antonio -4.5 points and the total is at 208.5.

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After a three-game slump earlier this month, the Warriors went on to win seven-straight games. Now they’re hitting the road for a brief Texas trip. Golden State’s efficiency is mind-boggling. They’re shooting 49% from the field as a team, 38% from three-point land and 79% from the free-throw line, averaging around 116 points. That’s tops in the league.

The Spurs aren’t too bad themselves. They’re 47% from the field, 39% from the foul line and 80% from the charity stripe. They’re also second in points allowed at 98 per game, making them just one of two teams with an average under 100 points (along with the Utah Jazz).

San Antonio is 6-4 SU and ATS in their last 10 meetings against the Warriors, who fell 129-100 when they hosted the Spurs in the season-opener. On March 11, The Spurs hosted the Warriors and won 107-85 in a game where both teams rested their stars.

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NBA Tuesday Preview & Free Pick- Golden State at Houston

Home and Home Series Opens in Houston

The top matchup on NBA TV this Tuesday night is a Western Conference clash between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. The game is an 8 p.m. tip from the Toyota Center. BetAnySports opened the Warriors as slight two-point road favorites. The total for this game opened at 237. Houston is a 1-point favorite now, and the total has been bet down to 233.

The Warriors bring a even game winning streak into the first of two meetings between these two NBA powers this week. The extended home-and-home series will resume in Golden State on Friday night. Golden State won on Sunday’s 106-94 at home against Memphis. They were 11-point favorites. With that win they have been able to cover BetAnySport’s closing line in six of their seven wins. The total has stayed UNDER in Golden State’s last 10 games.

The combination of Klay Thompson (31 points) and Stephen Curry (21 points) helped pace Sunday’s win. Andre Iguodala’s 20 points off the bench was a nice addition. The Warriors have averaged 112.6 points during this seven game run. That is slightly less than their league-high 115.9-point average on the year. aThe Warriors have really stepped things up on defense. They have been holding their opponents to just 94.8 points over the same seven games.

Harden Still Averaging Almost 30 a Game

The Rockets have been on a solid run of their own. They have seven straight-up victories in its last eight games. They are 5-3 against the spread in that span. It covered as a 5.5-point favorite at home in Sunday’s 137-125 shootout against Oklahoma City. The total went OVER BetAnySports’ closing 230.5-point line and it has gone OVER in four of the Rockets last six games. They are now 28-9 SU at home this season with an 18-19 record ATS.

James Harden remains the second-highest scoring player in the NBA with an average of 29.4 points per game. While he was one of three Houston starters to score at least 20 points in Sunday’s win, it was Lou Williams’ 31 points off the bench that led the way. The Rockets shot a blistering 63.3 percent from the field against the Thunder and they went 20-for-39 from three-point range. Houston has basically matched Golden State’s scoring average this season with 115.8 PPG and it has exceeded this number in five of its last seven games.

The scoreboard at the Toyota Center is sure to get a workout on Tuesday night, but in the end I am going with Houston at home both SU and ATS in the first battle of this week’s two-game series.

Elite Eight: Kentucky and North Carolina Clash on Sunday

Kentucky Can Make Three SEC Schools in Final Four

The Kentucky Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels will wrap up the action on Sunday when they battle at FedExForum for a spot in the Final Four. A Kentucky win in the Elite Eight will make it three SEC teams in the Final Four. That is a slap in the face to all the TV talking heads who bashed the SEC as a weak basketball conference.

Oddsmakers opened the Tar Heels as -3-point favorites versus the Wildcats, while the game's total opened at 155.5. UNC is now a 2.5-point favorite and the total has been bet up to 160 at many places.

North Carolina was a 92-80 winner in the Sweet Sixteen against the Butler Bulldogs. They covered the -7-point spread as favorites and the game was not as close as the score. UNC led by double figures for the final 24 minutes and got a combined 50 points from Joel Berry and Justin Jackson. Berry appeared to be over an ankle injury. He aggravated the injury and it bothered him in the Tar Heels' previous game against Arkansas. He scored 26 points, while Jackson worked the Bulldogs over for 24 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Kentucky was a 86-75 winner in their Sweet Sixteen outing against the UCLA Bruins. They covered the +1.5-point spread as underdogs. De'Aaron Fox sure had his way in Kentucky's of UCLA on Friday night. He hammered in a career-high 39 points on just 20 shots. He continually attacked the bucket and dared the Bruins to stop him.

Elite Eight Betting Trends

Kentucky:
Team record: 32-5 SU,18-17-2 ATS
Current Streak: won 14 straight games.
Kentucky is 7-13-2 ATS in its last 22 games
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Kentucky's last 10 games

North Carolina:
Team record: 30-7 SU,20-16-1 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
North Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of North Carolina's last 6 games
North Carolina is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Kentucky

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Elite Eight: South Carolina Faces Florida in All SEC Matchup

South Carolina on a Roll Heading Into Elite Eight

The South Carolina Gamecocks and the Florida Gators  on Sunday when they meet at Madison Square Garden. The seventh-seeded Gamecocks will face Florida for the third time this season with a trip to the Final Four on the line. It's the first time since Kentucky and LSU met in 1986 that two SEC teams will meet in a regional final.

Florida and South Carolina split its two regular-season meetings. The Gamecocks taking a 57-53 decision on Jan. 18 in Columbia. The Gators paying whipping the Cocks 81-66 on Feb. 21 in Gainesville.

Oddsmakers opened the Gators as -3.5-point favorites versus the Gamecocks, while the game's total opened at 132.5. The spread has held steady at 3.5, but the total has been hammered by bettors up to 135.

Florida was a 84-83 winner in their Sweet Sixteen matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers. They pushed the -1-point spread. The Gators won the overtime thriller over Wisconsin on a 3-point buzzer-beater from Chris Chiozza. Wisconsin didn't even contend the shot and let Chiozza dribble the length of the court for the winner.

South Carolina was a 70-50 winner as they whipped the Baylor Bears in their Sweet Sixteen matchup. They covered as a +3-point underdog. South Carolina advances to its first Elite Eight in program history. This is after making it to the Sweet 16 for the first time. Frank Martin's squad is a defensive force to reckon with. It limited Baylor to just 30 percent shooting. It forced 16 turnovers and held the Bears to a season-tying-low 22 points in the first half.

Elite Eight Betting Trends

South Carolina:
Team record: 25-10 SU,15-18 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
The COCKS 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games
South Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
South Carolina is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Florida

Florida:
Team record: 27-8 SU,20-13-1 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
Florida is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 7 games
Florida is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing South Carolina

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Sweet 16: Wisconsin Looks to Continue Run Against Florida

Badgers In 4th Straight Sweet 16

The fans at Madison Square Garden will the Wisconsin Badgers and the Florida Gators on Friday in their surprising Sweet 16 matchup. Wisconsin owns more NCAA Tournament wins than any other school the past four years. The Badgers can add to their 14 wins Friday with a win over Florida. The Badgers have the tourney's biggest upset by sending defending champion Villanova home.

The eighth-seeded Badgers are the only team to reach the Sweet 16 in each of the past four tournaments. They seek to reach the Elite Eight for the third time in four years. Wisconsin looked like a different team late in the season. They lost 5 of 6 games over one stretch and even getting into the tournament was sketchy at the time.

Oddsmakers opened the Gators as -1.5-point favorites versus the Badgers, while the game's total opened at 131.5. The line has held pretty steady heading into tonights game.

Florida was a 65-39 winner in their Round of 32 matchup as they battled the Virginia Cavaliers. They covered in the matchup as a -1.5-point favorite. KeVaughn Allen is Florida's leading scorer at 13.4 points per game during the season. He only averaged 5.5 points on 3-of-21 shooting in the victories over East Tennessee State and Virginia.

Wisconsin won its NCAA Tournament 2nd round matchup 65-62 against the Villanova Wildcats. They covered in that game as a +5.5-point underdog. Ethan Happ averages 13.8 points and a team-best 9.1 rebounds. Forward Nigel Hayes chips in 13.8 points and 6.6 boards.

Sweet 16 Betting Trends

Wisconsin:
Team record: 27-9 SU,17-16 ATS
Wisconsin is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Wisconsin is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

Florida:
Team record: 26-8 SU,20-13 ATS
Florida is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games
Florida is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 6 games

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Sweet Sixteen: Kentucky Gets Another Crack at UCLA

UCLA Beat Cats 97-92 in December

The fans at FedExForum will a quality matchup between the UCLA Bruins and the Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet Sixteen when they take their seats on Friday. Kentucky is the No. 2 seed in the South Region and UCLA is the No. 3 seed. The Bruins beat the Wildcats 97-92 on Dec. 3 in Lexington, Ky. Needless to say the Cats will have payback on their minds.

UCLA is the No. 1 scoring team in the nation at 90.2 points per game. Kentucky is at No. 9 at 85.2 points per game. They are the two highest scoring teams left in the NCAA field. Tonight's game has the potential to be one of the best of the tournament.

Oddsmakers opened the Bruins as 0-point favorites versus the Wildcats, while the game's total opened at 169. UCLA is now a 1.5-point favorite and the total has climbed to 167.

Kentucky was a 65-62 winner in their NCAA Tournament 2nd round matchup against the Wichita State Shockers. The game was a push of the -3-point spread. Kentucky put five players in double figures in the December game. The Cats were led by Malik Monk with 24 points. De'Aaron Fox added 20, Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Isaiah Briscoe scored 12.

UCLA was a 79-67 winner in their roung of 32 matchup against Cincinnati Bearcats. They covered the -4-point spread as favorites. In the December game, T.J. Leaf made 7 of 12 shots and finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Isaac Hamilton scored 19 points, Thomas Welsh, Lonzo Ball and Bryce Alford each had 14, and Aaron Holiday added 13.

Sweet Sixteen Betting Trends

UCLA:
Team record: 31-4 SU,17-18 ATS
UCLA is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
UCLA is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of UCLA's last 8 games

Kentucky:
Team record: 31-5 SU,17-17-2 ATS
Current Streak: won 13 straight games.
Kentucky is 1-2-2 ATS in its last 5 games
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kentucky's last 9 games

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Sweet 16: Baylor and South Carolina In Surpise Matchup

Baylor had Easy Road to Sweet 16

The fans at Madison Square Garden will the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Baylor Bears in their Sweet Sixteen matchup on Friday. Baylor only had to defeat the 14th seeded New Mexico State Lobos and 11th seeded USC Trojans to reach the Sweet 16. Don't let that fool you, as the Bears are battled tested this season. Their resume includes victories over three teams that are still alive in this tournament (Oregon, Xavier and West Virginia), and the Bears were the top-ranked team in the Nation in January. They had reeled off 15 straight wins at the time.

Oddsmakers opened the Bears as -3.5-point favorites versus the Gamecocks, while the game's total opened at 137.

Baylor won its last outing, a 82-78 win the NCAA Tournament 2nd round against the USC Trojans on March 19. They failed to cover in that game as a -5.5-point favorite. Johnathan Motley is averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds in the tournament, which falls right in line with his season numbers.

South Carolina won its last outing, a 88-81 win against the Duke Blue Devils in the Round of 32. They covered in that game as a +6.5-point underdog. South Carolina guard Sindarius Thornwell scored 24 to lead the Gamecocks against Duke. Guard Duane Notice and forward Chris Silva each added 17.

Sweet 16 Betting Trends

South Carolina:
Team record: 24-10 SU,14-18 ATS
South Carolina is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games
South Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
South Carolina is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Baylor

Baylor:
Team record: 27-7 SU,15-16 ATS
Baylor is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
Baylor is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baylor's last 6 games

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Sweet Sixteen: North Carolina Faces a Tough Butler Squad

UNC Looks to Avoid Another Bad Game Against Butler

The fans at FedExForum will see the Butler Bulldogs and the North Carolina Tar Heels battle in their Sweet Sixteen matchup in the NCAA Tournament on Friday. North Carolina barely escaped against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the second round. They had to score the last 12 points in the game to put the Razorbacks away.

Oddsmakers opened the Tar Heels as -7-point favorites versus the Bulldogs, while the game's total opened at 152.5. The point-spread has stayed at UNC as a 7-point favorite, but the total has been bet up to 155.

North Carolina was a 72-65 winner in their NCAA Round of 32 against the Arkansas Razorbacks. They failed to cover the -11.5-point spread as favorites. Roy Williams has led a team to the Sweet 16 for the 18th time in his Hall of Fame career. He has nine trips with Kansas and nine with North Carolina. This is the third season in a row that UNC has advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.

Butler was a 74-65 winner in their NCAA Tournament 2nd round matchup against The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. They covered the -2.5-point spread as favorites. The Bulldogs hold opponents to 68.2 points per game.

Sweet Sixteen Betting Trends

Butler:
Team record: 25-8 SU,20-13 ATS
Butler is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Butler is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Butler's last 5 games

North Carolina:
Team record: 29-7 SU,19-16-1 ATS
North Carolina is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
North Carolina is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of North Carolina's last 9 games

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Sweet 16: Arizona Faces Surprising Xavier

Xavier is Only Double-Digit Seed Left

The Xavier Musketeers and the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday when they battle at SAP Center in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

Oddsmakers opened the Wildcats as -8-point favorites versus the Musketeers, while the game's total opened at 144. The Wildcats are now 7.5-point favorites and the total is at 144.5.

Arizona was a 69-60 winner as they battled the Mt. Saint Mary's Gaels in the NCAA 2nd round. They covered in the matchup as a -4.5-point favorite. The Wildcats have superior size and two big-time scorers  Allonzo Trier and freshman 7-foot forward Lauri Markkanen.

Xavier was a 91-66 winner in the Round of 32 against Florida State Seminoles. They covered the +7.5-point spread as underdogs. Many counted out the Musketeers after guard Edmond Sumner sustained a season-ending knee injury in late January. That came on the heels of guard Myles Davis leaving the team after a brief return from a 15-game, season-opening suspension.

Sweet 16 Betting Trends

Xavier:
Team record: 23-13 SU,17-18 ATS
Xavier is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Xavier is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Xavier's last 6 games

Arizona:
Team record: 32-4 SU,19-15-2 ATS
Current Streak: won 6 straight games.
Arizona is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Arizona is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games

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