Bruins and Sharks Do Battle Tuesday Night

Both Teams Jockeying for Playoff Position

In what could easily be a Stanley Cup Final preview, the
streaking Boston Bruins will host the San Jose Sharks at the TD Garden on
Tuesday. Boston is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, having
secured at least one point in 13 straight games and winning nine of those
matchups. Conversely, the Sharks have gone on a bit of a run of their own,
winning seven of their last 10 games and inching within three points of the
Calgary Flames for top spot in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, NBCS California (San Jose), NESN (Boston); LINE: Sharks -113; O/U: 6 Over -133.

It was just one week ago that the Bruins defeated the Sharks
in an exciting 6-5 final in San Jose. It was an epic night for long-time
veteran Joe Thorton, who registered a hat-trick, but it wasn’t enough to stop
the surging Bruins. Since then, the Bruins have only continued to win. They’ve
now pulled away from Eastern Conference Wild Card Spot and have been able to
maintain a slim three-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Sharks will be out for revenge in a game that they likely should have won against the Bruins. They were up late in the third, but surrendered a last-minute tying goal and ultimately the OT winner. We’ll be eager to see how they respond.

This, That and a Dart Throw

The San Jose Sharks are 38-18-8 on the season. Nyquist, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, put together back-to-back seasons of 28 and 27 goals in 2013-15 and scored 21 times last season. Nyquist may play alongside Joe Thornton, who had a hat trick against the Bruins last week could be playing his last game in Boston. The Bruins are the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 1997. Sharks captain Joe Pavelski has six goals and five assists in his last seven games, including one and two versus Boston.

The Boston Bruins are 37-19-9 on the Season. Marcus Johansson scored a career-high 24 goals in 2016-17. He then spent two injury-ravaged seasons with New Jersey. That included sitting out more than 2 1/2 months when he took an elbow to the head from Boston's Brad Marchand that gave him a concussion. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said the incident will not be an issue going forward for Johansson. Johansson has scored in six games and had as many assists over the past 13 games.

PREDICTION: Bruins 4, Sharks 3

NHL Betting Odds & Trends

San Jose Sharks
San Jose is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
San Jose is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose's last 6 games
San Jose is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
San Jose is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of San Jose's last 15 games on the road
San Jose is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Boston
San Jose is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose's last 6 games when playing Boston
San Jose is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 8 of San Jose's last 11 games when playing on the road against Boston

Boston Bruins
Boston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Boston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing San Jose
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Jose
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing San Jose
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Jose
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 11 games when playing at home against San Jose

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Duke vs. Virginia Tech Free NCAA Basketball Pick

Duke vs. Virginia Tech Meet in Key ACC Clash

Tuesday, February 26 at 7:00 PM ET

Cassell Coliseum

Coverage: ESPN

Line: Duke -3.5

Total: 144

The Duke Blue Devils clash with the Virginia Tech Hokies in a big
ACC clash on Tuesday night. Duke bounced back from their tough home 88-72 loss
against North Carolina with a convincing 75-65 road win against Syracuse last
Saturday, while Virginia Tech is coming off an impressive 67-59 road win
against Notre Dame on Saturday.

Duke has lost two in a row at Cassell Coliseum and this will be a
big test for them, playing in a wild atmosphere, potentially without Zion
Williamson. Virginia Tech will likely miss Justin Robinson, so it will be
interesting to see what adjustments these teams will make.

Virginia Tech forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. will be the player to
watch in this game, as he's averaging 24.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.0
assists, while shooting 71.4 percent from the field in his last three games,
after scoring at least 20 points in all those contests.

Guard Alex O'Connell can be a difference-maker for Duke, he set
career-highs in points (20) and made three-pointers (5), and tied a career-high
in minutes (34) against Syracuse. His 3-point shooting was just what Duke
needed against the Syracuse zone and he made the most of the opportunity that
was given to him without Zion Williamson in the lineup. Can O'Connell continue
that level of play on Tuesday? A big game from him would really help Duke in
this one.

Virginia Tech doesn't have great 3-point defense (35.8 percent,
11th in the ACC in conference play), so if O'Connell continues his hot
shooting, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and Tre Jones can get lanes to penetrate
against a two-point defense that allows 48.0 percent two-point shooting in
conference play, (ninth in the ACC).

Zion Williamson update

Zion Williamson is officially listed as day-to-day with a 'mild' knee sprain suffered in the first minute of Wednesday's game against North Carolina and he is not expected to play against Virginia Tech, as he's resting ahead of Saturday's contest against Miami.

NCAA Basketball Trends:

The Duke Blue Devils are:

7-3 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS win

4-1 ATS in their last five road games against a team with a
winning home record

4-1 ATS in their last five road games

The Virginia Tech Hokies are:

2-6-1 ATS in their last nine games following a straight up win

2-7 ATS in their last nine games against a team with a winning
percentage above .600

2-7 ATS in their last nine games against a team with a winning
straight up record

1-4-1 ATS in their last six games overall

1-5 ATS in their last six home games

Zion Williamson and Justin Robinson could miss this game, so which
absence will make the most impact? The answer to this question can help
determine the outcome of this contest. I expect a close game throughout, Duke
has to keep Virginia Tech off the offensive glass but I still see them doing
enough to get the win and cover because they just have too many weapons on
offense.

NCAA Basketball Pick: Duke -3.5 (-110) at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: Jazz Sports

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies NBA Preview

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies NBA Preview & Pick

Monday, February 25 at 8:00 PM ET

FedExForum

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), FS Southeast (Memphis) LINE: Lakers -5 O/U: 222.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Memphis Grizzlies, desperate for win as they're still out of a playoff spot.

Pelicans crush Lakers

The Lakers appeared to turn a corner when they pulled off an epic
comeback in their 111-106 home win against the Rockets, rallying from a
19-point deficit in the third quarter to eventually win and get back to .500.
LeBron James, who said he had activated "playoff mode" for the final
third of the season, had 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.

But then the Lakers took a step back to square one in Saturday's
128-115 road loss to the Pelicans, who were without their star Anthony Davis.
James finished with 27 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds but he couldn't
will his teammates to a victory and he had some interesting comments after the
game.

"How many know what's at stake if you've never been
there?" James told reporters after the loss. "It's kind of a fine
line when you talk about that, because when you've never been there or know
what it takes to actually shoot for something like that, sometimes you're
afraid to get uncomfortable."

Complicated road ahead for Los Angeles

If the Lakers are going to make a playoff push, their defense has
to play way better. The other problem they have is their schedule, as it
doesn't exactly favor them in the final 23 games. The Lakers have 11 contests
on the road, including tonight's clash in Memphis and a five-game road trip
starting March 12 in Chicago.

Los Angeles is just 12-18 on the road this season and they will
only have seven games against teams unlikely to make the playoffs, as they have
to face the Golden State, Oklahoma City and Boston in this stretch, as well as
two games against Milwaukee and MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The only apparent advantage the Lakers will have is their
competition for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. As
of this writing, the Lakers are three games behind the Clippers and two games
behind the Kings and they still have some games against them.

The Clippers, who traded their star Tobias Harris to the 76ers at the deadline, will play the Lakers twice. The Kings, who are led by the dynamic backcourt of De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield, play the Lakers once. Los Angeles is 1-1 against the Clippers and 2-1 against Sacramento this season and the head-to-head tiebreakers are will be extremely important in determining who secures the last playoff spot.

NBA Trends:

The Los Angeles Lakers are:

4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss

4-1 ATS in their last five games against Western Conference
opponents

The Memphis Grizzlies are:

7-19 ATS in their last 26 games following a straight up loss

6-17 ATS in their last 23 games following an ATS loss

7-20 ATS in their last 27 games after allowing 100 points or more
in their previous game

3-15 ATS in their last 18 games after scoring 100 points or more
in their previous game

The Lakers are in this spot partly due to James wanting to trade half
the team for Anthony Davis and his 17-game absence due to injury. As the leader
of this team, James has to make sure the Lakers are ready for the future and
stop throwing his teammates under the bus.

It all starts against a Grizzlies that has lost four straight and
five of their last six, including a 112-107 road setback against the Cavs last
Saturday. This is a must-win game if the Lakers want to make the playoffs and I
see James coming out fired up, so I like them to get off to a fast start.

NBA Pick: Lakers 1st half -2
(-115) at Jazz Sports

Check odds here: Jazz Sports

NBA Free Monday Betting Pick- Mavericks at Clippers

Mavs on 4 Game Losing Streak

The Dallas Mavericks head to the West Coast this Monday night in a late 10:30 p.m. tip against the Los Angeles Clippers on NBA TV. BetAnySports has the Clippers as 3.5-point home favorites with the total set at 230 points.

The Mavericks bring a four-game losing streak into Monday night’s contest both straight-up and against the spread. Going back to a loss to Milwaukee at home on Feb. 8, they are 1-5 both SU and ATS in their last six games with the total going OVER or ending as a PUSH in four of those contests. Dallas is 26-33 SU overall, but it improves to 34-24-1 ATS. It has a 22-14 record this season ATS at BetAnySports when closing as an underdog.

Dirk Nowitzki was able to turn back the clock a bit in Sunday’s loss with a season-high 15 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. posted 21 points in the losing effort as the Mavericks’ top scorer. He helped fill the void left by Luka Doncic, who has missed his last two starts with an ankle injury. Doncic has been the team’s leading scorer this season with 20.7 points per game, but he remains day-to-day for this contest.

Clippers Look to Bounce Back From Denver Shellacking

The Clippers were on the wrong end of Sunday’s 123-96 loss to Denver closing as nine-point road underdogs on BetAnySports’ betting line. The total stayed UNDER 235 points in that game after going OVER in their previous four outings. Los Angeles is 16-12 SU on its home court this season as part of an overall record of 33-28. It is also 33-28 ATS with a 15-13 record ATS at home. The Clippers are a profitable 21-10 this season ATS when closing as favorites.

LA traded
Tobias Harris to Philadelphia earlier in February, so Lou Williams is now the
team’s top scorer with 19.9 PPG. He put up a game-high 24 points in Sunday’s
losing effort with the Clippers going 30-for 87 from the field and just
3-for-21 from three-point range. This was a far cry from a team shooting
percentage of 47.0 from the field and 38.3 from outside the perimeter. Los
Angeles is averaging 113.9 points a game which is ranked seventh in the NBA.

Even if Doncic is able to go, Dallas will be hard-pressed to keep this game closer than the current 5.5-point spread. The Clippers should shoot the ball much better on Monday night with the game being played on their home court.

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

Dallas Mavericks
Dallas is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Dallas's last 23 games
Dallas is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Dallas is 4-16 SU in its last 20 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Dallas's last 11 games on the road
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
Dallas is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Dallas is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games
LA Clippers is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
LA Clippers is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 6 games at home
LA Clippers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
LA Clippers is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Dallas

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Tennessee Vols Travel to Face LSU Tigers

LSU and Tennessee Jockeying for SEC & NCAA Seeding

Two of the Southeastern Conference's best will face off in Baton Rouge on Saturday afternoon. This should be a exciting game as both teams can play with anyone in the nation. The Volunteers lead the league in defensive rebounding at 27.6 per game. The Tigers top the SEC on the offensive glass grabbing 13.2 per game.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN; LINE: Tennessee -1; O/U: 157.

Fifth-ranked Tennessee did not need its best effort to rebound from a loss for the first time since Thanksgiving. They must come up with a better performance Saturday afternoon when they travel to play No. 15 LSU. The first-place Volunteers followed up their loss at Kentucky by shooting just 41.1 percent and scoring a season-low 58 points. They ended up with a 12-point victory over last-place Vanderbilt on Tuesday. That type of effort will not work against the talented Tigers.

The Volunteers hold a one-game lead over Kentucky and LSU in the SEC with five games left. They will again lean on forward Grant Williams. He scored 16 in an 84-61 rout of LSU last season. In that game, Tennessee shot 54.1% from the field and drained 12-of-25 from 3-point range. The Tigers are unbeaten on the road in SEC. They have dropped two of six on their home court this season. The last one was Wednesday's 82-77 loss against Florida.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Tennessee Volunteers are 24-2 on the season and 21-1 in the SEC. The Volunteers are among the nations leaders in field-goal percentage at 50.7%. They have connected on just 40.9% the last two games. Including an abysmal 13-of-46 from 3-point range. Williams tops the team in scoring at 19.1 ppg and rebounding at 7.6 rpg. Guard Admiral Schofield is chipping in 16.5 ppg and is a major threat. G Jordan Bone (13.2 points) is 12-of-20 from the field the last two games and leads the SEC in assists (6.5).

The LSU Tigers are 21-5 on the season and 11-2 in the SEC. Guard Tremont Waters tops the Tigers in scoring at 15.7%, assists at 5.9 apg, and steals at 3.0 spg. That leads the SEC. He was limited to 3-of-12 shooting for an SEC game low of 10 points against Florida on Wednesday. Forward Naz Reid adds 13.8 ppg and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per contest. He posted his third double-double in six games. He had 16 points and 15 Windexes before fouling out Wednesday. Guard Skylar Mays scored 18 against Florida to raise his season average to 13.2 ppg. Guard Javonte Smart throws in 10.2 ppg and was 2-of-8 from the field Wednesday. F Kavell Bigby-Williams (7.8 rebounds, 6.0 rebounds) is 18-of-24 from the field the last five games.

PREDICTION: LSU 78, Tennessee 72

SEC Basketball Betting Odds & Trends

Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Tennessee is 20-1 SU in its last 21 games
Tennessee is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Tennessee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tennessee's last 5 games on the road
Tennessee is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing LSU
Tennessee is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing LSU
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games when playing LSU
Tennessee is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against LSU
Tennessee is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against LSU
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games when playing on the road against LSU

LSU Tigers
LSU is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of LSU's last 14 games
LSU is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Tennessee
LSU is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing Tennessee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LSU's last 5 games when playing Tennessee
LSU is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Tennessee
LSU is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Tennessee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LSU's last 5 games when playing at home against Tennessee

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AAF Week 3 - Birmingham Iron vs Atlanta Legends

Atlanta Legends Make Home Debut

One has to wonder what the crowd is going to look like in Atlanta on Sunday. The Legends haven’t exactly made an impression on anyone in the first couple of week. The team continues to start quarterback Matt Simms over Georgia Bulldog alum, Aaron Murray. Murray hasn’t exactly proven anything yet, he is a household name in Georgia. Take a peek at many of the AAF fan pages, and you’ll see fans all over the nation begging the Legends to start Murray over Simms. It’s hard to imagine the Legends are going to have much of a home crowd to play for. Especially with up to 8" of rain falling on the area this past week.

Date: Sunday, Feb. 24 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Georgia State Stadium -- Atlanta, Georgia
TV: CBS Sports Network | Live stream:CBS Sports Network

Line: Iron -7.5; O/U: 38.

This is a do-or-die game for the Legends. Going 0-3 will further cement their position as the league’s worst team. It will all but ruin their chances at making the AAF playoffs in April. A win at home could begin to turn the tide and put them on a different trajectory. The Legends face an uphill battle against one of the league’s best teams this weekend. It will take a solid effort on both sides of the ball.

Players to Watch

Matt Simms, QB: As much as you all would like to see Murray start Atlanta’s first home game, it appears the team will be sticking with Simms for the time being. His completion rate did jump between the first and second weeks. It went from 54% to 68%. He threw one interception in San Diego. He also threw for a touchdown. Despite the losing streak, Simms is progressing.

Tyson Graham, DB: Graham continues to be as one of Atlanta’s best defensive players. Through two tough road games, he’s recorded 14 total tackles (11 solo) and a single quarterback hit. The defensive back faces a tough matchup against Birmingham quarterback Luis Perez. He was instrumental in the team’s comeback win over Salt Lake last weekend.

Malachi Jones, WR: One half of the Legends very own Jones Bros. He is the only Legends player to score a touchdown. Jones caught all three of the passes thrown to him last weekend for 27 yards. Both Simms and Jones were able to beat double coverage in the team’s first touchdown of the year, hinting that Jones is better than what we’ve witnessed so far.

Birmingham Iron Hit the Road

The Iron ranked third in most of the AAF power ranking this week. But an argument could be made that they’re simply tied with the Arizona Hotshots for second. Outstanding defensive play has shot Birmingham to the top of the rankings. They are definitely one of the top units in the league and when you have a defense this good, your team has a shot.

The team hits the road for the first time, and it almost seems that their first road game is an easy pick. How can Atlanta’s stumbling offense find ANY traction against a dominating Iron defense? Even with the potential “home-field advantage” it seems doubtful that Atlanta can bowl over the solid Birmingham Iron.

Players to Watch

Trent Richardson, RB: So far, Richardson is showing himself to be the AAF’s own James White. He’s walked in three touchdowns and a 49.5 YPG average. He’s hauled in a successful two-point conversion as well. Richardson is easily one of Birmingham’s best offensive weapons. The Atlanta defense has allowed 64 points over two games will most likely struggle to contain him.

Luis Perez, QB: Perez is starting off hot with an average of 218 yards per game and completing 60.6% of his passes. The young quarterback is among the best in the league. He has been pivotal in Birmingham’s success over the first two weeks. Atlanta’s secondary does have a lot of talent in Doran Grant and Graham. Iron fans shouldn’t expect Perez’s performance to slide on Sunday unless all the rain hangs around on Sunday.

Jeremy Faulk, DL: Faulk was a monster last week with four tackles (one for a loss), two quarterback hits and a sack. As important as Perez was in leading Birmingham’s comeback over Salt Lake, Faulk equally as instrumental in setting the team up for the comeback. That is thanks to two tipped passes in the fourth quarter. The defensive lineman has racked up eight total tackles. He is proving himself the cog of the Iron’s top-shelf defense. Faulk will cause havoc for the Legends this weekend as well if Atlanta’s offensive line continues to deteriorate.

AAF Week Three Matchup

This matchup doesn’t bode well for the Legends. There’s simply no other way to put it. It would take serious adjustments to overcome the deficiencies that Atlanta has. You almost have to respect their stubborn persistence in sticking with Simms as quarterback.

The Irons offense struggled against the Stallions. The Stallions are a largely better team than the Legends. This game may not be a bloodbath, but we expect Atlanta to head into Week Four with an 0-3 record.

Pick: Iron -7.5, Over 38. We see this game 25-15

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AAF Week 4 Schedule

Game	Date	Time	Network
Orlando at Salt Lake	Saturday, March 2	4 p.m.	B/R Live
San Diego at Memphis	Saturday, March 2	8 p.m.	NFL Network
San Antonio at Birmingham	Sunday, March 3	4 p.m.	CBS Sports Network
Atlanta at Arizona	Sunday, March 3	8 p.m.	NFL Network

AAF Week 3 - Memphis Express vs Orlando Apollos

High Powers Apollos Face Stiff Express Defense

The Memphis Express travel to play the Orlando Apollos in week 3 AAF action. They are seeking their first win of the inaugural Alliance of American Football. The undefeated Orlando Apollos are standing dead in the way. Orlando is the highest-scoring team in the AAF. They are averaging 38.5 points per game, and is second best in yardage gained.

Date: Saturday, Feb. 23 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Spectrum Stadium -- Orlando, Florida
TV: NFL Network | Live stream:fuboTV (Try for free)

Line:Apollos -15;O/U: 44.5.

Memphis is not chopped liver. The Express pass rush and running game stand out, and up to the best in the league. The Express are tied for second in the AAF in sacks as a team with four. Express running back Zac Stacy is the league's leading rusher with 159 yards. They’re coming off a tough Week-2 loss to the Arizona Hotshots. They ran out of gas in the fourth quarter after leading for most of the game. It was by far the most exciting game in the AAF so far this young season.

Both teams have household names leading them. The Express head coach, Mike Singletary, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his career as a linebacker in the NFL. He played all 12 of his seasons with the Chicago Bears. Apollos head coach Steve Spurrier is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame twice over. He is in as both a player and a head coach. Spurrier won the 1966 Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at the University of Florida. He became a coach following 10 seasons in the NFL. He won the 1996 National Championship as Florida’s head coach. He is the winningest head football coach in history at two Southeastern Conference schools. Those schools are Florida and South Carolina.

When the Express have the ball

The Express leaned on Stacy throughout most of the game against the Hotshots last week. Stacy finished the game with 19 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown. He became the first player in the history of the AAF to surpass 100 yards rushing in a game. He scored the first touchdown in the history of the Express.

If the Express want to keep drives alive, it will be Stacy moving the chains. Quarterback Christian Hackenberg’s stat line wasn’t the prettiest last weekend. He was 14 of 25 for only 102 yards. The Penn State alum displayed a grittiness against the Hotshots. He used his legs to extend drives and convert long downs. The Apollos’ defense gave up some big runs to quarterbacks in their come-from-behind win at San Antonio last week. They will be looking to limit big runs by Hackenberg. Hackenberg needs to be better in the passing game for the Express to come out with an upset.

When the Apollos have the ball

The Apollos’ offensive line struggled at times to protect quarterback Garrett Gilbert last week against the San Antonio Commanders. Gilbert was sacked four times and hurried six more. One of those sacks led to a fumble and a defensive touchdown for the Commanders. The line played a lot better in the second half of the game. They gave Gilbert enough time to complete some deep passes to his receivers. The protection allowed the Apollos back in the game, and eventually get the win. Charles Johnson had 192 yards receiving and scored a touchdown.

Memphis has an excellent pass rush and is very physical up front. The O-line will have to play more consistently to keep the Apollos at bay. Orlando also struggled to establish the run through the first three quarters of its Week 2 matchup. Being able to run effectively and keep Memphis’ defense honest, and on the field, will also be key for the Apollos to stay undefeated. That won’t be easy against a front seven that includes Express linebacker DeMarquis Gates. He leads the AAF in solo tackles with 16.

Express DB Channing Stribling has been a lock-down force in the secondary. He excelled Saturday against the Hotshots with six tackles, three pass breakups and an interception. The Michigan product leads the Express secondary with four pass breakups and one pick on the season. His most impressive stat is that opposing quarterbacks have a 52.1 passer rating when targeting Stribling (according to Pro Football Focus). He’ll have his hands full trying to cover Apollos wide receivers Johnson and Jalin Marshall.

Apollos RB D’Ernest Johnson has to get the ball a lot. The Apollos didn’t get their running game going in Week 2 until the fourth quarter. That is when Johnson got the ball more often. He’s averaging more than 7 yards per carry this season. He has proven to be a physical runner who can make his own holes when needed. Johnson also has good speed and the hands to catch the ball out of the backfield. He has the best skill set of all the Apollos’ running backs. Spurrier said earlier this week that Johnson's play in Week 2 may have earned him more carries.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

A total of 96 of Stacy’s 101 rushing yards against Arizona came after first contact. Gilbert leads the AAF in passing yards with 620. The Apollos’ defense is tied for the AAF lead in interceptions with four. The Express defense leads The Alliance with 12 tackles for a loss. Home teams are 6-2 in the AAF through the first two weeks of the season.

Pick: Apollos -15.5, Over 44.5

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AAF Week 4 Schedule

Game	Date	Time	Network
Orlando at Salt Lake	Saturday, March 2	4 p.m.	B/R Live
San Diego at Memphis	Saturday, March 2	8 p.m.	NFL Network
San Antonio at Birmingham	Sunday, March 3	4 p.m.	CBS Sports Network
Atlanta at Arizona	Sunday, March 3	8 p.m.	NFL Network

AAF Week 3 - Arizona Hotshots at Salt Lake Stallions

Stallions Ready for First Home Game

The Salt Lake Stallions will be playing in front of their home fans for the first time in history. They are hosting the Arizona Hotshots at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The hometown fans should see a pretty good game.

Date: Saturday, Feb. 23 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium -- Salt Lake City, Utah
Live stream: B/R Live (Subscription or Per Game Service)
Line: Hotshots -4.5; O/U: 44.

Through the first two weeks the Hotshots are unbeaten. They have proven themselves to be a second-half team so far. The Stallions played the Hotshots in Sun Devil Stadium in Week 1. Arizona outscored Salt Lake 19-6 after halftime to win by 16. At Memphis last weekend, the Hotshots overcame a 12-0 deficit to win 20-18. They seem to make plays when they are needed

This week may be a different story. Arizona will have a challenge playing in 30-degree weather and more than 4,632 feet above sea level. It could make for some tired players near the end of the game.

When the Stallions have the Ball

The Stallions will once again not announce their starting quarterback until game time. Josh Woodrum has been practicing this week, but Matt Linehan and Austin Allen have been receiving an even amount of reps. For us sports bettors it makes it a little more hard to figure out things.

The Hotshots won the first meeting by 16 points. It is misleading, as they scored only one more touchdown than the Stallions. Running back Matt Asiata, wide receiver Jordan Leslie and tight end Nick Truesdell each found the end zone in Week 1. They will look to do so again against the Hotshots solid D. They are led by defensive back Robert Nelson, defensive tackle Will Sutton and linebacker Steven Johnson.

Speaking of Johnson, he has been one of Arizona's best defensive players so far. He had an interception and seven tackles against the Stallions in Week 1. He then turned around and had nine tackles with a forced fumble in Week 2 against the Express.

When the Hotshots have the Ball

Arizona's run-pass option (RPO) offense has struggled to get going early in the first two games. It is like they have to see how the flow of the game is. When they do get going and the Hotshots are clicking they are hard to stop. Quarterback John Wolford spreads the ball around really well. His favorite target has been Rashad Ross, who has 170 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The running game is pretty devastating as well. Tim Cook and Justin Stockton have found the end zone while Jhurell Pressley leads the crew with 121 yards on the ground.

It’s no secret that the Stallions defensive line is locked in. Head coach Dennis Erickson has been confident in the unit since preseason. The defense as a whole came together in Week 2 against the Iron. They held Birmingham to more than 100 fewer yards than it had in Week 1.

When the Memphis Express put pressure on Wolford in Week 2, he made mistakes and threw two interceptions. The key for the Stallions pass rush is to put consistent pressure on Wolford throughout the game. If they can.

Stallions Players to Watch

DE Karter Schult: In the Week-2 matchup against Birmingham, Schult forced a fumble, deflected a pass, picked up two sacks and recorded six tackles. He consistently put pressure on Iron quarterback Luis Perez. It was key as Perez threw for only 184 yards after going for 252 in Week 1.

RB Joel Bouagnon: The Stallions back scored the team's only touchdown in Week 2 against the Iron. He led all rushers in the game with 70 yards.

CB Will Davis: This former Utah State and NFL corner has disrupted passes and taken down ball carriers in the first two weeks. He has made 12 tackles and defending four passes.

Hotshots Player to Watch

LB Steven Johnson: The veteran inside linebacker has 16 total tackles (13 solo) to lead Arizona. He also has an interception, forced fumble and four tackles for loss.

By the Numbers: Schult is tied for the lead in The Alliance with three sacks. He is second with 11 quarterback pressures. Hotshots WR Richard Mullaney is second on the team with seven receptions. He is expected to miss this weekend's game. Look for WRs Freddie Martino and Marquis Bundy to get more looks. aDon't be surprised if the tight ends are more involved. Arizona is No. 1 in The Alliance in total yards per game, at 400, rushing yards per game at 179, red-zone efficiency with touchdowns on 80 percent of possessions, and two-point conversions coming in at 71%.

Pick: Hotshots -4.5, Under 44 (opened at 46).

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AAF Week 4 Schedule

Game	Date	Time	Network
Orlando at Salt Lake	Saturday, March 2	4 p.m.	B/R Live
San Diego at Memphis	Saturday, March 2	8 p.m.	NFL Network
San Antonio at Birmingham	Sunday, March 3	4 p.m.	CBS Sports Network
Atlanta at Arizona	Sunday, March 3	8 p.m.	NFL Network

DeRozan, Spurs Visit Raptors

DeRozan Should be Welcomed by Fans of Raptors

DeMar DeRozan will make his first return to Scotiabank Arena this Friday when the San Antonio Spurs (33-26 SU, 31-27-1 ATS) visit his former employers, the Toronto Raptors (43-16 SU, 26-33 ATS).

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, TSN 1/3/4 (Toronto) LINE: Raptors -7.5; O/U: 227.

When the same two teams met in San Antonio on January 3, DeRozan dropped a triple-double on the Raptors. He had 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in a 125-107 victory for the Spurs (–3.5). He’ll almost certainly get a warmer reception from the Toronto fans than Kawhi Leonard got in his return to the AT&T Center. After demanding a trade during the offseason, Leonard was shipped north with Danny Green for DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a first-round pick.

Toronto’s lineup will look much different than it did in San Antonio. Kyle Lowry didn’t play that day. Delon Wright and C.J. Miles went to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Marc Gasol trade. Greg Monroe was sent to the Brooklyn Nets for cash. Finally, Lorenzo Brown was put on waivers. Patrick McCaw has since joined the club; the Raptors have also signed Jeremy Lin for the rest of the year, while Fred VanVleet is out with an injured thumb.

DeRozan was a four-time All-Star for the Raptors. He holds the franchise records for games played (675), minutes (22,986) and points (13,296). He is expected to be greeted warmly by the Toronto crowd. The Raptors have done just fine without DeRozan. They sit in second place in the Eastern Conference coming out of the All-Star break. They went into the break hot as fire, with wins in six straight. DeRozan's Spurs are in a more precarious position and went into the break in seventh place in the West. They have dropped four of the first five on their eight-game Rodeo Road Trip.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

San Antonio struggled through the Western Conference portion of the trip prior to the break. They fell at Sacramento, Golden State, Portland and Utah before recovering with a 108-107 victory at Memphis on Feb. 12. DeRozan, who missed out on the All-Star game in his first season with the Spurs, is averaging 23.5 points on the trip. All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge went into the break strong with three straight double-doubles. San Antonio finishes out the trip with a back-to-back at New York and Brooklyn on Sunday and Monday. They then get to play eight of their next 10 at home.

Leonard did make the All-Star Game in his first season with Toronto. He started for the winning Team LeBron. He scored 19 points in as many minutes. The Raptors made a splash ahead of the deadline by bringing former All-Star center Marc Gasol over from the Grizzlies. They are undefeated in three games with him in the lineup. Gasol, 34, is still ironing out his place in the rotation. He came off the bench in each of his first three games, averaging 10 points in 20 minutes.

PREDICTION: Raptors 118, Spurs 110

NBA Betting Odds & Trends

San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
San Antonio is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games
San Antonio is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 10 of San Antonio's last 15 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 8 games when playing on the road against Toronto

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games
Toronto is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games at home
Toronto is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Toronto's last 15 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 8 games when playing at home against San Antonio

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Could Soccer Ever Be Our New National Sport?

Soccer Gaines in Popularity in the US

The idea that soccer becoming the national sport of the USA
is preposterous to some, but with the dismal Super Bowl performance, (and we’re
not just talking about Maroon 5), could it be time for a new national
sport? 

Soccer has long been a British expat among the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball. As a nation we consider basketball, baseball, and football before we even begin to think about soccer. However, with news that former pro soccer player David Beckham is purportedly moving ahead with plans for a brand new soccer team and stadium in Miami, as well as the dispatch of several home players to big soccer nations such as England and Germany, Major League Soccer could be in for international elevation. 

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Official: @marcofabian_10 joins @philaunion from @eintrachtfrankfurt. ✍️

A post shared by Major League Soccer (@mls) on Feb 8, 2019 at 1:47pm PST

In 2013, Don Garber, Head of MLS, announced that Beckham
had joined with an eclectic mix of business associates to build a new Major
League team in the wake of the closure of Miami Fusion. It is now known that
the owners of the new Inter Miami team include co-founder of Brightstar
Marcello Claure and former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, who managed Beckham’s
wife Victoria during her Posh Spice days. 

Inter Miami will have a new stadium, which has been given the green light after residents near the international airport voted in favour of converting a nearby golf course into the soccer team’s home ground, Miami Freedom Park. The team is due to join other MLS teams for the 2020 season, and is set to shake up current standings. 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is Miami Freedom Park. #thisismiami #thisismiamifreedompark #miami #mls

A post shared by Club Internacional De Fútbol (@intermiamicf) on Jul 8, 2018 at 3:29pm PDT

The February Super Bowl didn’t exactly hit the spot this
year. Not only was the half-time entertainment deemed lousy, it was one of the
lowest scoring Super Bowl games of all time, and fans claimed to be 'bored'.
It is true that football is a long game, which cannot match soccer in
simplicity. In a time when even our politics is simplified into tweets, it
could be time for our sport to be simplified too. 

Soccer has taken off in the USA, and alongside a bigger following in Britain’s Premier League, soccer video games have taken off too. FIFA has been hailed the perfect dorm game, and many have claimed that it is responsible for the USA’s recent soccer fascination. The trend shows no sign of letting up, with online gaming seeing soccer’s potential too. Fans can now play both Safari Soccer and Sensible Soccer on Party Casino, two very different games that allow users to enjoy the fun of soccer and potentially win some prizes. Right now, Real Money are offering bonuses to new users to try the two different games. 

 

 

 

 

 

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16 teams, 7 games, 3 potential champions, 1 💪 new #FIFA19 cover. ... Get ready for the return of the UEFA Champions League with new content in FIFA 19. With special Champions League kits and player items, as well as your choice of a Neymar Jr, Kevin De Bruyne, or Paulo Dybala 10 match loan item for your team, there's no better time to get started in FIFA 19! Hit the link in our bio to learn more.

A post shared by EA SPORTS FIFA (@easportsfifa) on Feb 6, 2019 at 10:00am PST

Soccer may not be our national sport, but it is certainly
gaining traction around the country. The speed and simplicity of the sport
makes it easy to watch and enjoyable to follow. The birth of a new team in
Miami, headed by an international sporting legend, can only be a good thing for
soccer, and it could be the start of the MLS having an international platform
from which the country could shine.