Timberwolves vs. Lakers NBA Preview

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA Preview & Pick

Thursday, January 24 at 10:30 PM
ET

STAPLES Center

Coverage: TNT: Line: Lakers -2; O/U: 229.5.

The Minnesota Timberwolves visit
a Los Angeles Lakers team that could have Rajon Rondo back. 

The Timberwolves are coming off
back-to-back wins over the Suns; first in a tight 116-114 contest at Minnesota
on Sunday and then with a 118-91 beating at Phoenix on Tuesday while the Lakers
have lost four of their last six games, including Monday's 130-111 setback
against the Warriors, when they witnessed Klay Thompson set an NBA record by
making his first 10 3-point attempts.

Towns can't be stopped

The Timberwolves are 2-1 against the Lakers this season and 4-3 under interim head coach Ryan Saunders, who took over for Tom Thibodeau when the team fired him after a 108-86 win against the Lakers on January 6. 

Karl-Anthony Towns is playing at
a high level, scoring at least 20 points in 13 of his last 14 games while
averaging 26.1 points over that stretch. Towns scored a combined 55 points in
the two games against the Suns while rookie Josh Okogie finished with a
career-high 21 points at Phoenix last Tuesday and he's averaging 11.7 points in
seven games this month.

Rondo on his way back

Rajon Rondo will be a game-time
decision tonight as he recovers from a torn ligament in his right ring finger
and when he returns the Lakers will have a true point guard on the floor, as
Lonzo Ball will miss at least a month after spraining his ankle against the
Rockets last Saturday.

The Lakers employed a point-guard-by-committee approach in Monday's loss against the Warriors and they had just 20 assists while the Warriors finished with 41. LeBron James, who averages team-bests with 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists, could have assumed ball-handling duties today but he's still out with a groin injury, although he could come back against the Suns next Sunday.

James and Rondo haven't played
since Christmas Day, when the Lakers beat the Warriors 127-101 at ORACLE Arena
and the team is just 5-9 since, with wins at Dallas and Oklahoma City but also
with a home loss to the Cavaliers.

NBA Trends:

The Under is:

9-3-1 in Minnesota's last 13
games against a team with a winning straight up record

8-3 in Minnesota's last 11 games
against Pacific Division opponents

23-8 in Los Angeles' last 31 home
games against a team with a losing road record

28-13 in Los Angeles' last 41
overall

The Lakers won' have James and
Ball while Timberwolves guards Jeff Teague (foot) and Tyus Jones (ankle) are
day-to-day and forward Robert Covington (knee) is out indefinitely. If Teague
is out, Derrick Rose could get another start.

Rose was quiet on Tuesday,
scoring just six points on 3 of 9 shooting in 23 minutes but he recorded five
assists and he's averaging 21.0 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 33.0
minutes over two games against the Lakers this season. 

The Lakers couldn't stop
Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins in the last meeting and their 21
turnovers led to 27 points for the Timberwolves but this is a very high total.
If Rondo comes back he will push the pace and create for his teammates and the
Timberwolves love to run up and down the court but that won't necessarily
translate into enough points to get Over this total.  

Team rankings based on offensive
efficiency:

Timberwolves - 14th (107.7 points
scored per 100 possessions)

Lakers - 21st (105.3 points
scored per 100 possessions)

NBA Pick: Under 229.5 (-110) at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: Jazz Sports

Iowa Hawkeyes Host Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State Going for 13th Straight Win

The Michigan State Spartans and the Iowa Hawkeyes will meet on Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Michigan State looks to extend its winning streak to 13 tonight. The No. 5 Spartans have won a school-record 20 straight regular-season Big Ten contests. They are coming off a 69-55 victory over No. 16 Maryland on Monday. The No. 21 Hawkeyes are winners of five in a row after they routed Illinois 95-71 on Sunday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 LINE: Michigan State -5.5; O/U: 156.5.

Michigan State won the first matchup this season 90-68 in December. Forward Nick Ward, who was shut out in the win over Maryland for the first time in his career, leading the way with a 10-for-10 shooting effort and 26 points. Guard Cassius Winston is the leader for the Spartans in scoring (18 points) and assists (7.3). He is helping to fill the void of third-leading scorer Joshua Langford's absence with an ankle injury for the last six contests.

The Hawkeyes' top two scorers are forwards Tyler Cook (16.5 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Luka Garza (13.9, 4.9). They would like a little payback against the Spartans after they combined for 22 points, 17 rebounds and seven fouls in the last contest. That is compared to Ward and Kenny Goins' combined 45 points and 23 rebounds. Revenge could depend on the outside shooting of Joe Wieskamp (11.9 points, 34 3-pointers) and Jordan Bohannon (11.2, 43). It will be tough up against the tough Michigan State defense, which held Iowa to 32.8 percent shooting in the first matchup.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Spartans are 17-2 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten. Every good team needs a "glue guy". That is the player on the court who does all the little things. Goins is becoming known for more than just those attributes as he has big game after big game. Iowa knows about that after the senior went for 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the earlier meeting. Goins is coming off a 14-point, 12-rebound, three-steal and two-block effort in the win over Maryland. Goins' feel for the Spartans' scheme on both ends of the floor gives coach Tom Izzo another leader on the floor who makes plays in every contest.

The http://handicappershideaway.com/?s=Iowa+HawkeyesHawkeyes are 16-3 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten. Wieskamp has caught fire lately. He has scored in double figures in nine of the last 10 contests. That definitely makes Iowa a much more dangerous team to Big Ten foes. The 6-6 guard was perfect against Illinois on Sunday. He matched his career high of 24 points, by hitting 8-of-8 from the field. He was 6-of-6 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. That kind of accuracy has helped open things up inside for Cook and Garza. It also has to make defenders think twice about leaving him to cover Iowa's other shooters. Iowa ranked first in the country in free throws made (395) entering Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 88, Iowa 84

Big Ten Basketball Betting Odds & Trends

Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Michigan State's last 7 games
Michigan State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Michigan State is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Iowa
Michigan State is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing Iowa
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Michigan State's last 7 games when playing Iowa
Michigan State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Iowa's last 6 games
Iowa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Iowa's last 7 games at home
Iowa is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Michigan State
Iowa is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games when playing Michigan State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Iowa's last 7 games when playing Michigan State
Iowa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Michigan State

Next up:
Michigan State at Purdue Sunday, January 27
Iowa at Minnesota Sunday, January 27

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Gambling Sponsorships in NASCAR – Zooms into Sports Betting

It looks like the top stock car racing circuit in the US is jumping into the sports betting bandwagon. While there are no official announcements yet, teams and drivers can sign gambling sponsorships in NASCAR.

The France family privately owns NASCAR, unlike the other sports leagues in the US. Whatever the owner says is the law. After the Supreme Court overturned the federal ban on sports betting, NASCAR signed a deal with Sportradar, a sports data provider. The firm is responsible to look for suspicious patterns in betting activities.

The 2019 NASCAR season starts on February 17 with Daytona 500 in Florida. While it enjoys its good share of fans, it is lagging behind other sports leagues with regards to sports betting. According to sportsbook pph reviews, bookies made $94 million on football, $102 million on basketball, and $47 million on baseball. The gaming revenue report bundled NASCAR with boxing, tennis, golf, and soccer in “Other” category with a total of $27 million

Gambling Sponsorship in NASCAR

At present, there’s a lot of interest in sports betting throughout the US. NASCAR wants to be part of the hype before it is too late. In 2019, Las Vegas hosts the Pennzoil 400 in March. PPH sportsbook also names Las Vegas as the host of the South Point 400 in September.

Aside from Nevada, two other states with legalized sports betting host NASCAR. They are Pennsylvania and Delaware. In addition, other states that host a race have introduced legislation to make sports betting legal.

Some companies already expressed interest in providing gambling sponsorship in NASCAR. One of them is South Point Hotel and Casino, which is the title sponsor for last year’s playoff race. The son of the casino owner drove for South Point Racing in NASCAR West Series and Craftsman Truck Series.

According to NASCAR news, another potential sponsor is MGM Resorts. The company has already signed deals with the NBA, WNBA, NHL, and MLB.

Maple Leafs Host Capitals in Last Game Before Break

Reeling Maple Leafs & Capitals Need a Win

The Toronto Maple Leafs need the All-Star break more than just about anyone. They’ve lost seven of their last 10 games, falling well behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead. Toronto’s last game before the break will be Wednesday at home versus the Washington Capitals.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, (Toronto): LINE: Maple Leafs -185; O/U: 6.5 Over -121.

Things started going sour for the Maple Leafs (29-17-2) in early December, after they signed hold-out center William Nylander to a new contract. Nylander has struggled since his debut. He has scored just one goal and has three assists in 20 games. He has earned himself a demotion to Toronto’s fourth line. The Leafs are 9-9-2 this year with Nylander on the ice. F Mitch Marner has four goals and two assists in his last six games. G Frederik Andersen (21-11-1) is just 9-7-0 at home this season. This is despite sporting a 2.28 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.

Washington (27-16-6) have played a bit better than they did during the 2017-18 regular season. They’re third in the Metropolitan Division with 59 points, one fewer than the Maple Leafs. Toronto has the superior goal differential at plus-31 to plus-13 for the defending Stanley Cup champions. LW Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL with 33 goals, but the Capitals don’t have strong puck possession stats. They’re worst in the league in face-offs at 46.4%. The Leafs are second in that department at 52.5%. The Capitals have lost a season-high six in a row (0-4-2) and has surrendered at least seven goals in three of their last four contests. G Pheonix Copley likely will get the nod on Wednesday and bid for his first win since Jan. 8, when he turned aside 37 shots in a 5-3 victory versus Philadelphia.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Capitals 3

NHL Betting Odds & Trends

Washington Capitals
The Capitals are 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Washington is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The Capitals are 11-5 SU in its last 16 games on the road
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The Capitals are 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Toronto
Washington is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Toronto
The Capitals are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Washington's last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto

Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 8 games
The Maple Leafs are 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games at home
The Maple Leafs are 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Washington
Toronto is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Washington
The Maple Leafs are 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing at home against Washington

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NBA Preview: Orlando Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets

Magic Travel to Nets in Revenge Game

Wednesday, January 23 at 7:30 PM ET

Barclays Center

TV: FS Florida (Orlando), YES (Brooklyn) LINE: Nets -5.5; O/U: 218.5.

The Orlando Magic looks for revenge when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. The Magic blew a 21-point lead in last Friday's 117-115 home loss against the surging Nets, when Aaron Gordon left the game for the final 9:19 with a stiff back.

Gordon has missed the last two games and his status for tonight remains questionable. The Orlando offense was balanced in Monday's 122-103 win in Atlanta. Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier scored 29 points apiece, stepping up in Gordon's absence. Terrence Ross (16) and D.J. Augustin (15) also scored in double figures to help the Magic put up their biggest offensive output since scoring 131 points against the Knicks on November 18.

The Nets are on a roll. They have won their last four games, including an easy 123-94 home beat-down against the Kings last Monday (their largest margin of victory of the season). D'Angelo Russell finished with a career-high 40 points against the Magic last Friday. He also scored 31 points against the Kings, including seven 3-pointers to give him 15 in his last two games. With Russell leading the way, the Nets have won their last six home games and they're 8-2 in January and 17-5 since December 7.

NBA Trends:

The Under is:

6-2 in Orlando's last eight games against Atlantic Division
opponents

36-17 in Orlando's last 53 games playing on 1 days rest

5-2 in Brooklyn's last seven home games against a team with a losing
road record

8-3 in the last 11 meetings in Brooklyn

Offense hasn't been an issue for the Magic, even without Aaron Gordon, as they hit 50 percent of their shots against the Nets and 50.5 percent against the Hawks. They need to get their defense going again in order to have a chance against the Nets. That said, I'm looking at the Under here. Aaron Gordon might miss the game and the Nets and Magic rank 18th and 26th in pace, averaging 101.8 and 100.0 possessions per game respectively. Orlando needs to slow the tempo as part of their defensive plan.  

NBA Pick: Under 218.5 (-110) at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: Jazz Sports

Kentucky Hosts Mississippi State in SEC Action

Kentucky Has Turned it up Lately

Ninth-ranked Kentucky has rebounded from a loss in its SEC opener to win four straight contests. The team looks to continue the run when No. 22 Mississippi State pays a visit for an SEC showdown Tuesday night.

The Wildcats rolled through Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Georgia before taking a big lead at 15th-ranked Auburn on Saturday. They held on for a confidence-building 82-80 victory.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN LINE: Kentucky -7.5; O/U: 145.

The Wildcats will need the same type of effort to extend their winning streak to 12 games against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-0 week that included an impressive 71-55 victory at Vanderbilt on Saturday. The Bulldogs lost their first two league games before knocking off Florida 71-68 at home last Tuesday. They then held Vanderbilt to 36.7 percent from the field while senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon poured in 17 points four days later.

This, That and a Dart Throw

Mississippi State is 14-3 overall and 2-2 in the SEC. Weatherspoon leads the team in scoring (16.6) on 48 percent shooting. Point guard Lamar Peters (13.4 points) tops the Bulldogs in assists (5.8) and made 3-pointers (51). Forward Aric Holman is also a threat at 12.4 points per game on 49 percent shooting from the floor. He also boasts team highs of 8.1 rebounds along with 2.2 blocks. Guard Nick Weatherspoon, Quinndary's younger brother, is the fourth player averaging double figures in scoring (10.2) and has drained 19-of-41 from behind the arc (46.3 percent).

Kentucky is 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the SEC. Guard Keldon Johnson leads the team in scoring (14.9) and has recovered from being shut out against Georgia on Jan. 15. He poured in 20 points to match Herro against Auburn. Herro is second on the team in scoring (13.5), just ahead of senior forward Reid Travis (13.0), who had 17 points and seven rebounds Saturday.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 76, Mississippi State 68

SEC Basketball Betting Odds & Trends

Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Mississippi State is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Mississippi State's last 5 games
Mississippi State is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
Mississippi State is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Mississippi State is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Mississippi State's last 5 games on the road
Mississippi State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kentucky
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Mississippi State's last 7 games when playing Kentucky
Mississippi State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Kentucky
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Mississippi State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Kentucky

Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Kentucky is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kentucky's last 6 games at home
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Mississippi State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kentucky's last 7 games when playing Mississippi State
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Mississippi State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kentucky's last 5 games when playing at home against Mississippi State

Next up:
Mississippi State home to Auburn Saturday, January 26
Kentucky home to Kansas Saturday, January 26

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NBA Monday Betting Pick- Rockets at 76ers

76ers Take on Struggling Rockets

Monday night’s NBA action on TNT gets underway at 8 p.m. with an inter-conference clash between the Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly is favored by 4.5 points at home and BetAnySports has set the total line at 234.5 points.

Houston has been struggling with consistency over its past eight games. They have a straight-up record of 4-4 while going 3-5 against the spread. Six of those games were played on its home court heading into this week’s brief two-game road trip. The Rockets are 9-12 SU on the road this season with an 8-13 record ATS. The total has gone OVER in five of its last seven games overall.

James Harden scored 48 points and Eric Gordon put up 30 more in Saturday’s 138-134 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets failed to cover as seven-point home favorites. Harden is averaging 35.7 points per game and he also leads the team in assists (8.5). Houston is 10^th in the league in scoring with 112.6 PPG and it slips to 15^th when it comes to points allowed (110.5).

76ers Look to Rebound After Rare Home Loss

The 76ers are coming off a rare loss at home with Saturday’s 117-115 setback against Oklahoma City as 3.5-point favorites on BetAnySports’ closing line. They are 7-3 SU over their last 10 games while going an even 5-5 ATS. The total stayed UNDER 235 points against the Thunder and it has stayed UNDER in three of their last four games. Philadelphia is 19-5 SU at home this season with a 13-11 record ATS.

Joel Embiid put
up a team-high 31 points in Saturday’s loss along with eight rebounds and six
assists. Ben Simmons was one assist shy (9) of a triple-double to go with his
20 points and 15 rebounds. Embiid is the team’s leader in points (27.0) and
Simmons is averaging a team-high 8.2 assists a game. Philadelphia is scoring an
average of 115.4 PPG while allowing 112.2 points on defense.

Beating Philly on its home court is a tough task for any NBA team. My lean is towards the Sixers covering the 4.5 points on Monday night at home, but my ‘best bet’ is the OVER 234.5 on the total line.

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Houston Rockets
The Rockets are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The Rockets are 15-5 SU in its last 20 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games
Houston is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
The Rockets are 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games on the road
The Rockets are 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Philadelphia
Houston is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The Rockets are 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia

Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The 76ers are 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games at home
Philadelphia is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Houston
The 76ers are 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing Houston
The 76ers are 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Houston
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing at home against Houston

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NHL Thursday: Lightning Takes on Maple Leafs

Leafs Look to Catch NHL Leading Lightning

The top team in the NHL gets set to take on their Atlantic Division rivals. The Tampa Bay Lightning welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs to town Thursday night.  The Leafs have gone through some recent struggles that has led to a .500 record over their past 10 games. Meanwhile, the Lightning have continued with dominant play, and now have a sizable 16-point lead in the Atlantic Division.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TVA, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), FS Sun (Tampa Bay); Line: Lightning -138; O/U: 6.5 Over -141.

Toronto’s recent struggles have largely been due to inconsistent play from their forwards. It may seem strange to target an offense that scores an average of 3.58 goals per game. Some of Toronto’s key contributors are in significant funks. The most pronounced is star winger, William Nylander. After missing the majority of the first half of the season due to a lockout, has managed just one goal and two assists in 17 games played. They’ll need more from Nylander and several other forwards to pull themselves out of this slump.  

The Lightning, however, are torching their NHL oppositions to a tune of 4.00 goals scored per game. This is tops in the league. Game after game, Nikita Kucherov is leading the Bolts at the offensive side of the ice. They’ll be keen to extend their lead against a Leafs team that needs a win badly.

This, That and a Dart Throw

The Maple Leafs are 28-15-2 on the season. While point leader Mitch Marner (59) continues to post impressive numbers with goals in three straight games, many of the other top offensive threats have cooled off. John Tavares has a team-high 29 goals, but has been kept off the scoresheet in three of the last four games. Fellow center Austin Matthews managed one goal in the past 10 games, despite recording nine points in that span. Toronto is also looking for more from speedy forward William Nylander, who has one goal and two assists while a minus-6 in 17 games since holding out and signing a six-year, $45 million contract.

The Lightning are 36-9-2 on the season. All-Star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is 7-0-0 with a .975 save percentage. He has three shutouts after losses this season. He had a 35-save performance at Dallas recently. Right wing Nikita Kucherov, the league leader with 75 points, has been kept off the scoresheet in consecutive games for the third time this season.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 3

NHL Betting Odds & Trends

Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Toronto is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
The Maple Leafs are 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
The Maple Leafs are 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
The Maple Leafs are 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Toronto is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning are 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games
The Lightning are 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The Lightning are 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
The Lightning are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Tampa Bay is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Tampa Bay's last 11 games when playing at home against Toronto

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LA Lakers vs. OKC Thunder NBA Preview

Lakers and Thunder Both Struggling

Thursday, January 17 at 9:30 PM ET

Chesapeake Energy Arena

Coverage: TNT -- Line: Thunder 10; O/U 227.

The Los Angeles Lakers visit the reeling Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. The Lakers snapped their two-game losing streak with a hard-fought 107-100 home win against the Bulls. The Thunder have lost four of their last five games, including a 142-126 road setback against the Hawks last Tuesday.

Thunder can't stop Hawks

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 31 points and 11 assists in the loss to the Hawks. Paul George had 24 points and Jerami Grant added 21 but it wasn't enough scoring to match the Hawks, who made 18 of 37 3-pointers while setting a season-high in points scored. 

Former Hawk Dennis Schroder scored 21 points, including 14 in the third quarter. He had the team's final 11 points of the period, the last six on free-throws. Atlanta outscored them 45-30 in the second quarter and 45-26 in the fourth quarter.

Lakers hold on against Bulls

Lonzo Ball scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half to lead the Lakers to a much-needed 107-100 home win against the Bulls last Tuesday. Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram had 16 points each but the Lakers almost blew a 94-76 lead with 4:26 left. The Bulls rallied to make it 103-98 in the final minute. 

Ball is an underrated defender. The Lakers will need him to be at his best on that side of the court in order to contain Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder. The Lakers also have to step up their 3-point defense if they want to keep up with the Thunder. Chicago made just 2 of 14 3-pointers in the first half against Los Angeles but they were 7 of 17 from distance in the second half.

NBA Trends:

The Over is:

6-1-1 in Los Angeles' last eight Thursday games

4-0 in Oklahoma City's last four overall

6-1 in Oklahoma City's last seven home games against a team with a
losing road record

This contest can be a track meet between two teams that are tied for third in the NBA in pace. They are averaging 105.8 possessions per game. The Lakers and Thunder struggle on defense and have many weapons on offense. Rebounding can be the difference tonight.

The Thunder won the first meeting 107-100 on January 2 in Los Angeles. They out-rebounding the Lakers 64-54. Oklahoma City ranks second in the league with 48.3 rebounds per game while Los Angeles is fifth with 47.1. Whichever team limits their opponent's second chance points will prevail in what should be a high-scoring game.  

NBA Pick: Over 227 at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: Jazz Sports

AAC Hoops: Houston Cougars vs SMU Mustangs

SMU Needs to Slow down Houston Offense

The Houston Cougars and the SMU Mustangs will both meet on Wednesday at Moody Coliseum-Dallas. Both teams are in a five-way tie for second place in the conference.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNews LINE: Pick; O/U: 137.

Point guard Galen Robinson Jr. is the engine of No. 17 Houston's high-tempo offense. Robinson needs three assists to become the second Cougar with four 100-assist seasons. The other was Derrick Daniels, from 1988-82. He also only needs eight to become the sixth player in school history with at least 500 in his career. Both teams have been strong defensively, but the Mustangs have out-rebounded their first four conference opponents by 40. SMU leads the league in offensive rebounds, averaging 13.8 per game. They have won five of the past eight against Houston but lost both meetings last year.

The Houston Cougars are 16-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference. Robinson (8.8 points, 5.7 assists) has helped Houston overcome several sluggish offensive starts by pushing the pace. Guard Corey Davis Jr. scores a team-high 15.5 points per game. Guard Armoni Brooks chips in 14.2 points, and a team-high 6.8 rebounds. The duo have hit a combined 108 baskets from 3-point range. Center Brison Gresham (3.9 points) has a team-high 30 blocks. Three Cougars have at least 20 steals for a defense that's ranked ninth nationally in points against per game at 60.6.

The SMU Mustangs are 11-5 overall and 3-1 in the conference. Guard Jahmal McMurray leads the Mustangs, and is fourth in the league with 18.9 points per game. He is also shooting 41.5 percent from behind the 3-point line. Forward Ethan Chargois adds 13.1 points and 6.4 rebounds a game. Transfer forward Isiaha Mike contributes 9.9 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Guard Jimmy Whitt Jr. averages 12.8 points, and team-highs of 6.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game. He has recorded three straight double-doubles as the Mustangs have won five of their past six. Forward Feron Hunt averages 6.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.8 minutes as the Mustangs' only big man off the bench.

PREDICTION: Houston 78, SMU 66

AAC Basketball Betting Odds & Trends

Houston Cougars
Houston is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Houston is 16-1 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games
Houston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games on the road
Houston is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Southern Methodis
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Southern Methodis

Southern Methodist Mustangs
Southern Methodist is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Southern Methodist is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Southern Methodist's last 5 games
Southern Methodist is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Southern Methodist is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Southern Methodist's last 5 games at home
Southern Methodist is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Houston
Southern Methodist is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Houston
Southern Methodist is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Houston

Next up:
Houston at South Florida Saturday, January 19
Southern Methodist at Memphis Saturday, January 19

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