TOP PLAYS
4 UNIT PLAY
Utah/ Portland Over 187.5: Portland has been a very good defensive team this year (92.4 ppg), but they have changed their offensive scheme to a more uptempo pace this year and that has helped them on offense, where they are scoring 97.4 ppg overall and 98.2 ppg in their last 5 games overall. The Blazers have averaged just 90.7 ppg on the road this year. but they will take on a Utah team tyhat has been struggling defensively of late as they have allowed 102.4 ppg in their last 5 games. Utah has allowed just 92.6 ppg overall at home, but 99 ppg in their last 5 on their home floor. Offensively the Jazz have been good this year overall at 97 ppg, but in their last 10 games they have done even better, averaging 102.3 ppg, while hitting at least 96 points in 8 of those games. 96 would be great hear as I don't see how Portland doesn't hit at least 94. I see a bit of an up and down game here with about 195 points being scored.
3 UNIT PLAYS
POWER ANGLE PLAY
Chicago -8.5 over WASHINGTON: What a game the Bulls had yesterday vs the Heat, but in the end they came up just short. Derrick rose is not happy and feels like he let his team down. I still feel the bulls are the Best team in the eastand they showed their depth yesterday as they lost by just 4 points to the Heat, despite missing Luol Deng. Deng will be out for this mone as well, but the Bulls still have 7 other players that are averaging 7.4 ppg or more. Rose sat out with a sprained toe when these teams met Jan. 11 in Chicago, but John Lucas III picked up the slack by scoring 25 points in the Bulls' 78-64 victory. Rose is healthy for this one and he has averaged 25.1 points in his last seven games against the Wizards. The Wizards are a young team that is led by John Wall (15.9 ppg and 5.4 rpg) and he has scored 13.3 ppg in 4 career starts vs the Bulls, but the Bulls defense has also forced him into 4.3 turnovers per game in the 4 games. The Bulls have won their last six meetings with the Wizards - the last three by an average margin of more than 20 points. I expect the Bulls to bounce back with a solid win tonight. POWER ANGLE FOR THIS PLAY--- Play Against home underdogs that have been outscored by their opponents by 6+ points/game if they are off a close win by 3 points or less. This play is 43-16 since 1996.
Chicago/ Washington Under 190: I don't do this too often where i pick a side and a total and make them both top plays, but I feel this is a spot to do so. The Bulls are off that tough game with Miami and I don't feel they were very happy with their defense. They did play a bit better at that end of the Floor with out Deng than i thought, but in the end they still allowed 797 points in the loss. This team is all about defense first and what better way to get back on track than vs a team that you allowed just 64 points vs earlier in the year. Overall the Bulls have allowed just 87.4 ppg and 92.8 ppg on the road, while allowing just 80.5 ppg in their last 6 games with the Wizards. The Wizards did put up 102 points vs the Bobcats two nights ago, but every scores that much on them. Washington is 27th in scoring at 88.8 ppg and that includes averaging just 92.9 ppg at home and 89.4 ppg in their last 5 overall. Chicago can score some as they are averaging 98.6 ppg on the road, while Washington has allowed 96 ppg, but even if Chicago hits 98, 99 or 100 points, it won't matter as the Wizards just won't top 85 in this one. KEY TRENDS--- The UNDER is 15-2 the last 17 in the series, while WASHINGTON is 23-8 UNDER after playing a game as favorite over the last 3 seasons.
Detroit +7 over MILWAUKEE: Not sure if there will be a flatter spot in the NBA that the Bucks will face tonight, as they are BB games vs the Bulls and Lakers and have the Heat on deck. Ouch. So after beating the Lakers in their last game how do they get up for the lowly Pistons tonight. The answer is I don't feel they will. Detroit has played very bad on the road, but they have been playing better overall lately as they took Atlanta to OT, lost by 3 to Miami and beat Portland in their last 5 games. Milwaukee is off a huge win vs the Lakers and they did it without Bogut, but his loss will start to hurt the team as the season goes on. Milwaukee just spent a lot of energy in their last 2 games and with Miami on deck I don't look for them to come out fully focused in this one, leaving the door open for a Detroit cover or outright win.
5 POINT TEASER--- Memphis -.5 & New Orleans +17
OTHER PLAYS
2 UNIT PLAYS
Milwaukee/ Detroit Over 182: Play Over in all games where the total is between 180 and 189.5 points if the road team is off 4 or more consecutive losses and are playing 6 or more games in 10 days. T his play is 29-5 the last 5 seasons.
Oklahoma City -2 over LA CLIPPERS: Play on road
teams where the line is +3 to -3 after a road game where both teams
score 100 or more points and they are playing 6 or less games in 14
days. This play is 28-7 the last 5 seasons.
1 UNIT PLAY
New Orleans +12 over MIAMI: Play on Underdogs of 10 or more points that is playing 8 or more games in 14 days against opponent that is playing playing 9 or more games in 14 days. This play is 29-10 since 1996.
BEST OF LUCK EVERYONE