12-2-13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida at Connecticut: What bettors need to know

Florida Gators at Connecticut Huskies (-5, 110)

No. 13 Florida brings a five-game winning streak with it to No. 14 Connecticut on Monday night in a game that has a Sweet 16 kind of feel to it. Maybe that's because the only other time the two national powerhouses met was in the 1994 NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16. The Gators earned a 69-60 overtime win in that one at Miami Arena en route to their first Final Four.

Connecticut is off to its first 7-0 start since the 2010-11 season. The Huskies have won three neutral-site games by a total of four points, including a 59-58 win over then-No. 22 Indiana in the 2K Sports Classic in Madison Square Garden. The Gators, who come in off a 67-66 victory over in-state rival Florida State on Friday, are 1-1 on the road this season, losing 59-53 at then-No. 19 Wisconsin on Nov. 12.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT FLORIDA (6-1): The Gators are led by senior forward Casey Prather who is averaging 19.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Michael Frazier II ranks second in scoring (14.4) and has connected on 22-of-41 3-pointers (53.7 percent). Dorian Finney-Smith, a 6-8 transfer from Virginia Tech, is averaging 11.8 points and 8.6 rebounds and hit the game-winning free throw with 1.3 seconds left to defeat Florida State.

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (7-0): Senior guard Shabazz Napier leads the Huskies in scoring (15.0) and rebounding (7.7). The Huskies rank12th nationally in 3-point shooting (44.7 percent) while holding opponents to just 36 percent shooting. Senior swingman Niels Giffey has connected on 15-of-22 3-pointers (68.2).

TRENDS:

* Gators are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games.
* Huskies are 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games.
* Under is 8-2 in Gators last 10 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 5-0 in Huskies last five overall.

TIP-INS:

1. Connecticut has won all four of its home games by double digits.

2. Napier became the first UConn player to record two triple-doubles when he got No. 2 in a 80-62 win over Yale on Nov. 13, finishing with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

3. Florida is allowing an SEC-low 60.3 points per game.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Rockets at Jazz: What bettors need to know

Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz

The Houston Rockets are rolling up points and victories and figure to have a chance to do both once again when they visit the Utah Jazz on Monday. Houston won its fifth straight game with Saturday’s impressive 112-106 victory over San Antonio, marking the fourth time the Rockets have scored 112 or more during their winning streak. Utah has won two of three contests after a 1-14 start and is coming off a 112-104 victory at Phoenix on Saturday.

The Rockets lead the league in scoring at 109.4 points per game while Utah ranks near the bottom at 90.5. Houston overcame a 19-point deficit to post a 104-93 victory in Salt Lake City earlier this season and handed the Jazz their worst home loss in the Utah era last season – 125-80, the fifth-worst beating in franchise history. Rookie point guard Trey Burke has provided the Jazz with a lift since returning from a broken finger and had a season-best 20 points in the win over the Suns.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN Houston, ROOT (Utah)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (13-5): Star guard James Harden was back on his game with 31 points against the Spurs after having just nine points the previous night against Brooklyn in his return from a foot injury. The ailment had sapped Harden’s explosiveness – leading to a three-game absence – but he moved much better while playing 37 minutes in the intense contest. “I just have to have confidence,” Harden said after the outing in which he knocked down the tying 3-pointer during a game-ending 9-0 run. “Even though I haven’t played and missed a couple games, I have to make sure I get my teammates involved and make sure that when they look at me, they know that we’re ready to win this game.”

ABOUT THE JAZZ (3-15): Utah has topped 100 points in consecutive games after reaching the figure just once over its first 16 outings. The improved offense has come under the direction of Burke, who missed the first 12 games and his absence left the Jazz without a bona fide point guard. Veteran forward Marvin Williams also has provided a boost and has scored 14 or more points in six of his last seven appearances despite playing with a broken nose.

TRENDS:

* Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings.
* Under is 9-1 in Jazz last 10 games following a ATS win.
* Jazz are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. NBA Southwest.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Houston has won the last four meetings and eight of the past 12.

2. Burke went 4-of-6 from 3-point range on Saturday and is averaging 15.7 points over the past three games.

3. Rockets C Dwight Howard has scored 15 points or fewer in five consecutive games while averaging 12.4 during the stretch.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's NFL Pick

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2
Time Posted: 11:00 p.m. EST (11/27) Game 449-450: New Orleans at Seattle (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 140.250; Seattle 138.527
Dunkel Line: New Orleans by 1 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: Seattle by 6; 47
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+6); Under

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NFL

Week 13

Saints (9-2) @ Seahawks (10-1)—New Orleans offense isn’t nearly as potent on road (19.2 ppg) as in Superdome (32.7) but Seattle has attrition issues at CB and this is bad time for that. Seahawks won last six pre-bye games, have had 15 days since last game; they’ve got 3-game lead in NFC West, so not as much urgency as Sants, who are battling Carolina in NFC South and still have to play Panthers twice, with first meeting next week. Seahawks are 3-2 as home favorites this year, with home wins by 21-28-7-3-21 points- they were favored by 13/16 points in two non-covers. Saints’ two losses are 30-27 in Foxboro, 26-20 at Jets; they’re 1-1 as underdogs this year, winning SU in Chicago. NO defense allowed only five TDs on 31 drives in last three games, giving up 16.7 ppg. NFC West non-divisional favorites are 14-5-1 vs spread, 8-4-1 at home. NFC South underdogs are 6-7, 4-4 on road. Teams split 12 series meetings; Seattle won last one 41-36 here in 2010 playoffs. Saints don’t want to be coming back here in January. Three of last four Seattle home games went over the total.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Monday Night Football betting: Saints at Seahawks

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (-4.5, 47.5)

If the Seattle Seahawks can extend their franchise-record home winning streak Monday against the New Orleans Saints, they'll likely assure the road to the Super Bowl goes through Seattle. The Seahawks have a one-game lead over the Saints for home-field advantage in the playoffs, and they can effectively build a three-game cushion with a head-to-head victory. The Saints need a fourth straight win not only to preserve their chances of staying home throughout the playoffs, but also to maintain a one-game lead over Carolina in the NFC South.

The Seahawks have won six straight since their lone defeat - a 34-28 loss at Indianapolis - and are off to the best start in franchise history at 10-1, yet each game seems to hold more importance even as they distance themselves in the NFC West. "Every game that we play is a championship game," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters. "You never know which one is going to be the one that you look back on and say, 'Boy, if we'd have got that one, we would've had this or that.' So we play every one of them like it's the biggest game in the world." Seattle can clinch a playoff spot with a victory if either Arizona or San Francisco lose Sunday.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, ESPN.

LINE: The line opened at -4.5, then jumped to -6, before being bet back to -4.5. The total opened at 45.5 and has been bet up to 47.5.

WEATHER: There is a 54 percent chance of snow, with temperatures in the mid 30s. The will be a 12 mph wind blowing towards the South end zone.

COVERS POWER RANKINGS: New Orleans (-6) - Seattle (-7.5) + home field (-3) = Seattle -4.5

ABOUT THE SAINTS (9-2, 6-5 ATS): New Orleans has won three straight, but it's had to squeak out the last two by a combined seven points. After setting a franchise record with 625 total yards three weeks ago in a 49-17 win over Dallas, the offense has been less-than-stellar the past two weeks, but the Saints still rank third in the NFL in total yards per game and second in passing yards. The defense, often a weakness for New Orleans, has been rejuvenated under coordinator Rob Ryan and has allowed more than 400 total yards only once all season.

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (10-1, 7-4 ATS): Seattle's Russell Wilson is the less-notable quarterback in the matchup, but he is 13-0 at home with 26 touchdowns against six interceptions. The Seahawks also boast the league's No. 3 rushing game with Marshawn Lynch (925 yards, 9 TDs) leading the way. The Seahawks have the second-ranked pass defense, but they will be short-handed in the secondary - cornerback Walter Thurmond is suspended for the next four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy and cornerback Brandon Browner is still out with a groin injury - a potential disaster against Drew Brees and the Saints' pass-happy offense.

TRENDS:

* Saints are 5-0 ATS in their last five Monday night games.
* Seahawks are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games versus a team with a winning record.
* Under is 6-1 in Saints last seven games versus the NFC.
* Over is 4-1 in Seahawks last five games following a ATS win.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Brees has won nine straight starts on Monday Night Football with a 123.6 passer rating in those games.

2. Seattle is tied for the NFL lead with 16 interceptions and boasts a plus-11 turnover margin.

3. Saints TE Jimmy Graham has six 100-yard games this season, tied for the most by a tight end in NFL history.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pucking the trends: This week's best NHL bets

Every week, we update you on who's hot, who's not and situational betting spots in the National Hockey League.

For the week of Nov. 25 - Dec. 1.

Hot team

Chicago Blackhawks (4-0 SU)

Who else could be here? The Hawks are currently enjoying a six-game winning streak overall (despite playing seven straight on the road) and were 4-0 in the past week. Patrick Kane has returned to his jaw-droppingly-good self. His 12-game point streak was snapped Friday, but he notched a goal and one assist in Saturday's win over the Phoenix Coyotes. They return to home ice Tuesday as they host the Dallas Stars.

Cold team

Toronto Maple Leafs (0-4 SU)

Toronto started the season as good as anyone and Leaf Nation was in a flurry of excitement. After a loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada capped off an 0-4 week, that hot start seems like a distant memory. You'd be hard pressed to find a better 1-2 punch than Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk, but it's the goaltending that has let the Leafs down. James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier rotated starts this week, but allowed nine goals each this week.

Best Over play

Anaheim Ducks (3-0 O/U)

The Ducks may have dropped two of their three games this week, but they cashed in for Over bettors. Goalie Jonas Hiller gave up eight goals in his two starts this week and has lost four of this last six starts overall. Dustin Penner, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry continue to be one of the hottest lines in the NHL, thus making the Ducks a solid Over candidate from an offensive standpoint night in, night out. They have a tough week upcoming, hosting the L.A. Kings Tuesday, before hitting the road to face the 'Hawks and St. Louis Blues.

Best Under play

New York Islanders (0-3 O/U)

Things are not good for the Isles. Many thought the Islanders would parlay an impressive playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins into a decent 2013-14 season. Not so. New York has dropped six-straight hockey games and are having troubles scoring despite boasting one of the more underrated players in the league, in John Tavares. The team was blanked by the Detroit Red Wings midweek and mustered just four goals in their three games. A feeble power play (16.3 percent) doesn't help matters either. Free Tavares!

Surveying the schedule

The hype surrounding the Colorado Avalanche may have tapered off a bit in recent weeks, but they still boast one of the best road records in the league at 9-2-0. The Avs, winners of back-to-back games, hit the road to Canada with games at the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

EPL betting: Manchester City 3/2 after dumping Swansea

It was another win for Manchester City, and another week leading the way as faves for the Barclays Premier League title.

The Citizens (3/2), fresh off the heels of an impressive 6-0 win over Spurs last week, defeated Swansea 3-0 Sunday, giving them 25 points on the season.

The club now sits third in the table, six points back of leaders Arsenal (5/2) who defeated Cardiff 3-0 Saturday.

Here is a look at the updated Premier League odds, courtesy of the LVH Superbook:

MANCHESTER UNITED 10/1
MANCHESTER CITY 3/2
CHELSEA 3/1
ARSENAL 5/2
LIVERPOOL 12/1
TOTTENHAM 60/1
EVERTON 100/1
NEWCASTLE 1000/1
ASTON VILLA 2500/1
WEST BROM 2500/1
SOUTHAMPTON 250/1
SWANSEA CITY 2000/1
FULHAM 9000/1
WEST HAM 5000/1
SUNDERLAND 9000/1
STOKE CITY 5000/1
CARDIFF CITY 9000/1
NORWICH CITY 9000/1
HULL CITY 9000/1
CRYSTAL PALACE 9000/1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

R.a.w. Football

2* = "over" on saints/seahawks

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mark Lawrence

3* New Orleans

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Football Sack

New Orleans Saints +5.5 ($500)

[Can'tPickAWinner]

POINTWISE
NFL KEY RELEASES
SEATTLE over New Orleans RATING: 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tale of the Tape: New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks

Two teams boasting prolific offenses and stingy defenses face off Monday night when Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints visit Seattle for a showdown with the Seahawks.

The Saints hold a slim half-game lead over the hard-charging Carolina Panthers and are coming off a narrow 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons a week ago. Seattle has won six straight games, and comes in off a bye as the top team in the NFC at 10-1.

Here's the breakdown in our betting tale of the tape:

Offense

The offense struggled for most of last week's win over the hapless Falcons, but that has proven to be a minor blip in what has been an incredible attack. Brees has the passing game humming along, ranked second in the league entering the weekend at 317.3 yards per game with 28 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. The rush attack hasn't been nearly as effective, at just 1,075 yards through the first 11 games and having accumulated only seven scores.

Russell Wilson has struggled to improve his passing credentials in his second full season - and having two of his top three wideouts (Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin) out of the lineup for most of the year hasn't helped. The Seahawks came into the weekend 25th in total passing yards (2,316), but do have 20 touchdowns against six interceptions. Marshawn Lynch leads a stout ground attack that sits among the league leaders in yards (1,627) with 10 TDs to date.

Edge: Even

Defense

New Orleans' emerging defensive unit isn't surprising anyone anymore - but it's still punishing the opposition on a weekly basis. The Saints come into the weekend allowing the third-fewest passing yards in the league (2,178) while limiting foes to 11 touchdowns through the air and snagging 10 interceptions. New Orleans has 37 sacks so far, and is in the middle of the pack in rushing yards against (1,231) despite surrendering a whopping 4.8 yards per carry.

Seattle's success continues to be built on a relentless defense that has overcome injuries and suspensions along the way. Only the Houston Texans had allowed fewer passing yards than the Seahawks coming into the weekend (1,984), and opposing teams have 12 touchdowns and 16 interceptions against them. Seattle is league-average when it comes to rushing yards against (1,242) but has limited the opposition to just four majors on the ground.

Edge: Even

Special Teams

New Orleans is above-average in the kick-return game - averaging 24.2 yards per attempt - but ranks near the bottom of the league in punt-return average (6.1). The Saints are at a deficit in both categories, surrendering 25.2 kick-return yards per attempt and 6.9 punt-return yards per opportunity. Veteran placekicker Garrett Hartley has converted just 20-of-26 field-goal chances, but made his only attempt - a 41-yarder - in last week's triumph over the Falcons.

Seattle's kick-return game has been dreadful so far in 2013 - averaging just 20.6 yards per attempt - but the punt-return unit is at 12.3 yards per attempt, one of the top rates in the league. Opposing teams are averaging a robust 24.9 yards on kick returns, but have been held to an unfathomable 1.4 yards per punt-return attempt. Kicker Steven Hauschka has been one of the top players at his position, missing just one of his 25 field-goal opportunities this season.

Edge: Seattle

Notable Quotable

"We got our work cut out for us. This is a well-coached team. They've got a hired killer back there running the ball. This is what you get, I guess, this time of year and it will be a hell of a challenge." - Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan on Lynch and the Seahawks

"Any one of these games, you look back, if we make the mistakes at the end that don't get us the win that would be the game we might look back to. So we honestly realized that every one of these games are championship opportunities to us and we practice like it's the biggest game you've ever seen." - Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Bank shots: NBA's weekly betting news and notes

Each week, we look back on the NBA betting scene and give you the best - and worst - basketball bets, as well as some spots to keep an eye on with the upcoming schedule.

For the week of Nov. 25 to Dec. 1.

Hottest ATS - Houston Rockets (4-0 SU, 4-0 ATS)

The Rockets have definitely kicked it into overdrive after a bit of a bumpy ride to begin the season. They are currently on a five-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine, including 8-1 against the spread in that time. The Rockets have been a very balanced team scoring the rock with four players scoring at least 15 points per game. More importantly, Dwight Howard has looked more like the Dwight Howard of old, scoring 16.7 points per game to go along with 12.4 boards and 1.9 blocks per game. This week Houston travels to Utah take on the last place Jazz before two games at home against Phoenix and Golden State.

Coldest ATS - Toronto Raptors (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS)

The Raptors have not been in first place in the Atlantic Division since 2007 and despite losing three games in a row and sitting at 6-10 for the season, that is exactly where they are. This is thanks to the utterly putrid basketball that is being played in the Eastern Conference right now, where only two teams have winning records. The Raptors had a chance this week to take a pseudo-strangle hold on the division, but were only able to go 1-3 in a four game home stand. It doesn't get any easier this week for the Raps as they begin a west coast road trip with stops in Golden State, Phoenix and Los Angeles to take on the Lakers.

Best Over play - Phoenix Suns (2-2 SU, 3-1 O/U)

The Suns are still one of the best teams in the NBA this ATS, but after putting a stop to the Portland Trailblazers torrid winning streak and two contests against the hapless Utah Jazz, the Suns were a great Over play last week. The Suns have become a good over play this season (10-7 O/U overall) by finding good balance on offense and defense. They are in the top half of the league when it comes to scoring at 101.7 points per game and they give up 99.7 points per game. This week, Phoenix heads to Memphis and Houston before taking on Toronto at home.

Best Under play - Charlotte Bobcats (1-3 SU, 1-3 O/U)

Not only are the 8-10 Charlotte soon-to-be-Hornets-again Bobcats, one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season, but are roaring when it comes to hitting the Under. In addition to hitting the Under three times this week, the Bobcats are 0-9-1 O/U in their past 10 games. The Bobcats have able to accomplish this by being a very good defensive team and a pretty lousy one on offensive. They rank second and fourth in points against per game (91.4) and opposing field goal percentage (42.4) respectively and on offense they are dead last in those categories, scoring 88.6 ppg and shooting 40.7 percent from the floor.

Surveying the schedule:

The Denver Nuggets have found their groove on the offensive end of the floor during their six game winning streak. The rank in the top 10 in four major categories, including points per game, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and offensive rebounds. They are currently on game two of a six game East coast road trip, which sees them play six games in nine days. The team during that stretch with the most wins is Washington, who sit at 8-9.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NCAAB betting: Top 3 strong early-season ATS teams

The college basketball season is officially in full swing, with the first batch of early-year tournaments in the rear-view mirror and a crowded December sked on the horizon.

There have already been a number of surprises, both good and bad - and this piece will focus on the best and biggest, highlighting teams that have shredded their respective spreads. Whether they wind up sustaining their success or burning out remains to be seen - but for now, they're providing great value to bettors.

Here are three teams with the best ATS showing so far:

Drexel Dragons (4-2 SU, 6-0 ATS)

Drexel was a middling team in the Colonial Athletic Association a season ago, finishing 13-18 overall just one year after posting a 29-7 mark. This year's version of the Dragons more closely resembles the 2011-12 incarnation, off to a blazing start with four impressive victories and narrow losses to No. 4 Arizona and No. 22 UCLA. Drexel has been a bit fortunate where the ATS record is concerned - three of its covers have come by four points or fewer - but with a vastly improved offense led by senior guard Chris Fouch (19.5 ppg), the Dragons should be a tough out for the majority of teams they face.

Wyoming Cowboys (5-2 SU, 6-0 ATS)

The Cowboys have impressed in the early going, with their only losses coming to a challenging Colorado team and No. 7 Oklahoma State. Of course, Wyoming started quickly last season - it won its first 13 games, including a stunning triumph over the then-19th ranked Buffaloes before crumbling apart and settling for a second-round exit in the season-ending CBI tournament. While it's impossible to know if history will repeat itself, the Cowboys have been solid offensively, shooting nearly 50 percent from the field while boasting a balanced attack that sees seven players average 6.9 points or more.

Charlotte 49ers (6-1 SU, 5-0 ATS)

Celebrating their first year in Conference USA, the 49ers are the darlings of their new digs after posting one of the biggest upsets of the opening month, sneaking past No. 14 Michigan 63-61 in the championship game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. While this isn't Charlotte's first taste of early-season victory - the Niners won last year's Great Alaska Shootout - it does bode well for a team coming off a disappointing first-round exit at last year's NIT tournament. Balanced scoring - five players average in double figures - and one of the top rebounding rates in the country are working in Charlotte's favor so far.