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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/19/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 19, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Colorado visits Buffalo at 1:05 PM ET as a -350 money line road favorite with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Edmonton plays at Winnipeg at 4:05 PM ET as a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more games drop the puck at 7:05 PM ET. Boston is at Ottawa as a -185 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Toronto hosts St. Louis as a -175 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Los Angeles travels to Arizona at 9:05 PM ET as a -200 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:05 PM ET. Calgary plays at home against Seattle as a -290 money line favorite with a total of 6. Vancouver is at home against Anaheim as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Saturday college basketball card has 28 games on national television. Four games on national television begin at noon ET. Baylor hosts TCU on ESPN2 as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Illinois plays at Michigan State on ESPN as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Connecticut is at home against Xavier on Fox as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 140. Syracuse plays at home against Boston College on ESPNU as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Texas hosts Texas Tech on ABC at 12:30 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 127.5. Kentucky is at home against Alabama on CBS at 1 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 154.5. Colgate plays at home against Boston University on the CBS Sports Network at 1:30 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 146.5. Three NCAAB games on national television start at 2 PM ET. Auburn visits Florida on ESPN as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 140. Morgan State is at Howard on ESPN2. Oklahoma State hosts Kansas State on ESPNU as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Ohio State is at home against Iowa on Fox at 2:30 PM ET as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Davidson plays at home against Saint Louis on the CBS Sports Network at 3:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 144. Two more NCAAB games tip-off at 4 PM ET. Arkansas hosts Tennessee on ESPN as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 140. Virginia Tech is at home against North Carolina on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 145. Villanova plays at home against Georgetown on Fox at 5 PM ET as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Four nationally-televised NCAAB games tip-off at 6 PM ET. Duke hosts Florida State on ESPN as a 15-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Loyola-Chicago is at home against Drake on ESPN2 as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. St. Bonaventure hosts Duquesne on ESPNU as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 135. Boise State plays at home against Utah State on the CBS Sports Network as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 131.5. Four more NCAAB games begin at 8 PM ET. Arizona State hosts Oregon State on ESPN2 as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 138. Seton Hall is at home against DePaul on FS1 as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. UNLV plays at home against Colorado State as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5. Kansas visits West Virginia on ESPN as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Five NCAAB games are on national television at 10 PM ET. Saint Mary’s is at home against BYU on ESPN2 as a 6-point favorite with a total of 134.5. Stanford plays at home against Colorado on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134. Arizona hosts Oregon on ESPN as a 13-point favorite with a total of 149.5. San Diego State travels to Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 116.5. UCLA is at home against Washington on FS1 as a 17-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Matchweek 26 in the English Premier League begins with eight matches. West Ham United hosts Newcastle United on Peacock at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Six games start at 10 AM ET. Arsenal plays at home against Brentford on Peacock as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa is at home against Watford on Peacock as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion are at home against Burnley on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Chelsea visits Crystal Palace on the USA Network as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool hosts Norwich City on Peacock as a -2.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.5. Southampton plays at home against Everton on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City plays at home against Tottenham on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAB and NHL Previews and Odds - 02/18/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 18, 2022

The Friday sports card features NHL and NCAAB action.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Carolina plays at home against Nashville at 7:05 PM ET as a -165 money line favorite, with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings). Florida travels to Minnesota at 8:05 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Dallas visits Chicago at 8:35 PM ET as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Vegas is at home against Los Angeles at 10:05 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The Friday college basketball card includes five games on national television. St. John’s hosts Butler on the CBS Sports Network at 5 PM ET. The Red Storm ended a two-game losing streak with an 86-73 upset win at Xavier as a 7.5-point underdog on Wednesday. St. John’s raised their record to 14-11 with the victory. The Bulldogs are on a two-game winning streak after their 73-71 upset victory at DePaul as a 5-point underdog on Tuesday. Butler has a 13-13 record. The Red Storm won the first game between these two teams, 75-72, in Indianapolis in a pick ‘em matchup on February 5th. St. John’s is a 9-point favorite with a total of 140.5.Three televised NCAAB games tip-off at 7 PM ET. VCU plays at home against Richmond on ESPN. The Rams won their seventh game in their last eight with a 66-61 victory at Fordham as a 9.5-point favorite on Tuesday. VCU improved to 17-7 with the win. The Spiders won their fourth game in their last five with a 77-63 victory against LaSalle as a 14-point favorite on Saturday. Richmond’s record is now 17-9. The Rams won the initial meeting between these teams with a 64-62 upset win on the road as a 2-point underdog on January 29th. VCU is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Fairfield is at home against Saint Peter’s on ESPNU. The Stags had their two-game winning streak end in a 74-67 upset loss to Manhattan as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Their record dropped to 12-14. The Peacocks are on a two-game losing streak after a 70-61 loss to Iona as a 4.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Saint Peter’s record fell to 11-10 with the setback. This is the first encounter between these two teams this season. Fairfield is a 1-point favorite with a total of 127.Kent State hosts Ohio on the CBS Sports Network. The Golden Flashes won their seventh straight game with a 72-59 upset win at Toledo as an 8.5-point underdog on Tuesday. They raised their record to 16-9 with the victory. The Bobcats won their eighth game in their last nine with a 91-78 victory against Miami (OH) as a 10-point favorite on Tuesday. Ohio improved to 22-4 with the win. The Bobcats won the first game between these teams, 80-72, on January 7th as a 7.5-point favorite. Kent State is a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Oakland plays at home against Wright State on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Grizzlies won their second-straight game with a 75-59 victory against Detroit as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. They have an 18-8 record. The Raiders lost their second-straight game with a 75-71 upset loss to Northern Kentucky as a 6-point favorite on Sunday. Wright State’s record fell to 15-12 with the setback. The Raiders won the first encounter between these Horizon League rivals on February 5th with a 75-64 victory at home as a 2-point favorite. Oakland is a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/17/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 17, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.Five games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Miami visits Charlotte at 7:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Brooklyn plays at home against Washington at 7:40 PM ET as a 3-point favorite. Dallas is at New Orleans at 8:10 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite. Milwaukee hosts Philadelphia on TNT at 8:40 PM ET as a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 223. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against at 10:40 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Five games drop the puck at 7:05 PM ET. St. Louis travels to Montreal as a -265 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Buffalo is at Ottawa as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6. Washington plays at Philadelphia as a -175 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers are at home against Detroit as a -190 money line favorite with a total of 6. Toronto hosts Pittsburgh as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Winnipeg plays at home against Seattle at 8:05 PM ET as a -200 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Chicago is at home against Columbus at 8:35 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Edmonton hosts Anaheim at 9:05 PM ET as a -230 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Vancouver travels to San Jose at 10:35 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Thursday college basketball card has 12 games on national television. Towson plays at UNC-Wilmington on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 135.5. Three NCAA-B games tip-off at 7 PM ET. Cincinnati hosts Wichita State on ESPN2 as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Murray State is at home against Austin Peay on ESPNU as an 18.5-point favorite with a total of 132. Iowa plays at home against Michigan as a 6-point favorite with a total of 151. Western Kentucky plays at home against Charlotte on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143. Three more NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. Colorado State visits New Mexico on FS1 as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 153.5. Oregon is at Arizona State on ESPN as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 136. Longwood travels to High Point on ESPNU.DePaul hosts Creighton on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 137. Two more NCAAB games start at 11 PM ET. UCLA is at home against Washington State on FS1 as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Stanford plays at home against Utah on ESPNU as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 140. Nevada travels to San Jose State on the CBS Sports Network at midnight ET as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 145. 

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Ranking the Power 6 Conferences

by ASA, Inc.

Wednesday, Feb 16, 2022

Of the power 6 conferences that make up college basketball this is our current ranking of them: 1. BIG 102. BIG 12 3. PAC 124. SEC5. BIG East6. ACC For starters, the BIG 10 has five teams currently in the top 17 in the AP Poll. In 2021, nine BIG 10 teams made the NCAA tournament and we could see a similar number this year. Unfortunately, only one (Michigan) of those nine teams made it to the sweet 16 as the rest were sent home early. Even so, the depth and firepower that lies within the conference makes it an absolute gauntlet to get through. Multiple player of the year candidates include Johnny Davis, E.J. Liddell, Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey, Trevion Williams, Kofi Cockburn, and more. No other conference has talent at this depth.  The BIG 12 comes in second mainly because of their top 3 teams sit inside the AP top 10 currently. Kansas sits atop the conference with defending champs Baylor a game behind them in conference play. Texas Tech also has the experience and firepower to make another legitimate run at a championship. Chris Beard has Texas in the mix as well, making the BIG 12 dangerous come March.  The PAC 12 and SEC are very similar but both conferences lack the depth to have them ranked higher. In the PAC 12, Arizona and UCLA will both be tough outs when the tournament comes around. USC and Oregon are solid but are not quite championship caliber. In the SEC Auburn and Kentucky hold top spots with plenty of young talent for a run. After that, Tennessee and Arkansas are the only teams who have a firm ticket to the dance.  Surprisingly the BIG East has five teams currently ranked. The downside is that none are in the top 10 and only Providence, Villanova, and Marquette are in the top 20. None of these teams seem to have the talent to truly make a run with Connecticut and Xavier rounding out the unexceptional conference.  Finally, the ACC has only one team currently ranked. Duke is a title contender but beyond them the conference is lackluster. Notre Dame, UNC, Miami, Wake Forrest, and Virginia could all make the tournament but none have shown any urgency to push for a decent seed. The talent is lacking in a usually high-powered conference.   

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 02/16/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 16, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and UEFA Champions League action.Eleven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Atlanta visits Orlando at 7:10 PM ET as a 5.5-point road favorite (all NBA odds from BetRivers). Three more games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Boston hosts Detroit as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 214.5. Indiana plays at home against Washington as a 1-point favorite. New York is at home against Brooklyn in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite. Four NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at home against Sacramento as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 234. Memphis hosts Portland as an 11.5-point favorite. Toronto travels to Minnesota as a 1-point road favorite. San Antonio is at Oklahoma City as a 6.5-point road favorite. Phoenix plays at home against Houston at 9:10 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 234.5. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State is at home against Denver as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224. Utah travels to Los Angeles to play the Lakers in the nightcap on ESPN as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 227. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Minnesota visits Winnipeg at 7:05 PM ET as a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Carolina hosts Florida in the opening game of a doubleheader on TNT at 7:35 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Calgary plays at home against Anaheim at 9:35 PM ET as a -185 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Colorado is at Vegas in the second game on TNT at 10:05 PM ET as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Wednesday college basketball card has ten games on national television. Xavier hosts St. John’s on the CBS Sports Network at 6:30 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Two games begin at 7 PM ET. Alabama is at home against Mississippi State on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 150. Notre Dame plays at home against Boston College on ESPNU as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 129. Marquette hosts Georgetown on FS2 at 8 PM ET as a 13-point favorite with a total of 151.5. Connecticut is at home against Seton Hall on the CBS Sports Network at 8:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Two more NCAA-B games tip-off at 9 PM ET. Texas Tech plays at home against Baylor on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with a total of 136. SMU visits Temple on ESPNU as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Boise State is at Air Force on FS1 at 10 PM ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 119.5. Fresno State hosts UNLV on the CBS Sports Network at 10:30 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 126. Gonzaga travels to Pepperdine on ESPN2 at 11 PM ET as a 30-point road favorite with a total of 162.5. The first leg of the Round of 16 knockout stage in the UEFA Champions League continues with two matches at 3 PM ET. Liverpool plays at Inter Milan on CBS as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Bayern Munich is at RB Salzburg on Paramount+ and fuboTV as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB, EPL and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 02/15/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, EPL, and UEFA Champions League action.Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off the card at 7:40 PM ET. Cleveland visits Atlanta as a 1.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 221. Miami plays at home against Dallas as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 210. Boston is at Philadelphia in the opening game of a doubleheader on TNT as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 210.5. Three more games in the NBA start at 8:10 PM ET. Milwaukee hosts Indiana as an 11-point favorite. Memphis plays at New Orleans as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227. Minnesota is at home against Charlotte as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 243.5. Phoenix concludes the NBA card when they host the Los Angeles Clippers in the nightcap on TNT at 10:10 PM ET as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 222. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Five games drop the puck at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Rangers play at home against Boston as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 6. St. Louis travels to Ottawa as a -185 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Tampa Bay is at New Jersey as a -265 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Pittsburgh hosts Philadelphia as a -330 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Islanders visit Buffalo as a -180 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Nashville plays at home against Washington at 8:05 PM ET as a -140 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more games begin at 9:05 PM ET. Colorado is at home against Dallas as a -240 money line favorite with a total of 6. Calgary hosts Columbus as a -255 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Los Angeles plays at home against Edmonton at 10:35 PM ET as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 6.5.The Tuesday college basketball card includes 11 games on national television. Toledo is at home against Kent State on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Three more games tip-off in NCAA-B at 7 PM ET. Duke plays at home against Wake Forest on ESPN as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Mississippi hosts South Carolina on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135. Texas travels to Oklahoma on ESPN2 as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 126.5. Villanova is at Providence on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 130.5. Four NCAA-B games begin at 9 PM ET. Tennessee plays at home against Kentucky on ESPN as a 1-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Indiana hosts Wisconsin on ESPN2 as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. DePaul is at home against Butler on FS1 as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 129. TCU plays at home against Iowa State as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 128. San Diego State hosts Utah State on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 127.5. Nevada is at home against San Jose State on FS1 at 11 PM ET as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 142. Matchweek 25 in the English Premier League concludes with Manchester United hosting Brighton and Hove Albion on Peacock at 3:15 PM ET. The Red Devils are a -0.5 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with a total of 2.5.The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League begins with two first-leg matches in the Round of 16 at 3 PM ET. Manchester City visits Sporting Lisbon on Paramount+ and Fubo TV as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3. Paris Saint-Germain plays at home against Real Madrid on CBS as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.

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Super Bowl 56: What Went Wrong For The Bengals

by Al McMordie

Monday, Feb 14, 2022

The 56th edition of the Super Bowl continued the recent trend of an ultra-competitive game.  For those as old as me, it will be remembered that Super Bowls were -- more often than not -- blowouts, and less-than-enjoyable games.  Indeed, in the 21 games played between 1981 and 2001, there were 16 games decided by 10 points or more.  But since 2002, when the Patriots upset the 14-point-favored-Rams, we've been treated to largely entertaining games.  And in only 1 of the last 21 seasons has the favorite in the Super Bowl won by more than 11 points.  And that was when the Colts defeated the Bears by 12, as a 6.5-point favorite.The Bengals played a mistake-free game, which was just the 22nd time (out of 112 teams) that a team played a perfect game from a turnover perspective.  Now, for certain of those 22 teams, their opponent also committed 0 turnovers.  That happened in Super Bowls 25 (Giants 20, Bills 19), and 34 (Rams 23, Titans 16).  So, that leaves us with 18 teams that didn't commit a single turnover in the Super Bowl, while their opponent committed at least one turnover.  Coming into this Super Bowl 56, those mistake-free teams had gone 17-0 straight-up!Even worse for Cincinnati:  it held the Rams' to just 43 yards on 23 rushing attempts, for 1.86 yards per rush.  And never before had a Super Bowl champion garnered less than 2 yards per rush.So, what went wrong for Cincinnati to not allow it to win the game?The most glaring statistic was the Bengals' 1-for-3 number on 4th-down conversions, while the Rams were 1-for-1 in that same situation.  And both Bengals' misfires came at critical junctures in the game.  With five minutes gone in a scoreless first quarter, the Bengals faced 4th and 1 at the Rams' 49-yard line.  Coach Zac Taylor elected to go for it, rather than attempt to pin the Rams deep.  QB Joe Burrow's short, right pass to WR Ja'Marr Chase, though, fell incomplete.  And the Rams took full advantage by marching down a short field for a 7-0 lead.  Cincinnati did convert a key 4th down in the 3rd quarter when Burrow scrambled for four yards on a 4th-and-1, and that drive ended with a field goal to extend Cincy's lead to 20-13.  But the 4th down opportunities for each team on its final drive were difference-makers.  Los Angeles faced a 4th-and-1 with five minutes remaining, down 20-16, and converted on an end-around to WR Cooper Kupp for seven yards.  A little more than three minutes later, Kupp's TD reception provided the go-ahead score.  Cincinnati still was in prime position to tie the game with a field goal, but couldn't convert a 4th-and-1 at the Los Angeles 49-yard line with 43 seconds remaining.  The Rams' Aaron Donald was the key defender on that play, as he hit Burrow to cause an errant pass.  The defensive play by Donald was emblematic, as the Rams' pass rush was generally unstoppable.  Not only did Los Angeles sack Burrow seven times (including six in the second half), but its pass-rush win rate of 82% was the highest pass-rush win rate of any team in a single game this past season.  That pass-rush statistic is why the Rams were eventually able to overcome a -2 turnover differential, and a 1.86 ypr to win Super Bowl 56.

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Strange Times In The NBA

by AAA Sports

Monday, Feb 14, 2022

Welcome to the peculiar world of the NBA, where one player who refuses to shoot raised the stakes by refusing to even play, then was traded for a player who twice in 13 months has forced a trade to another team by playing by expending hardly any effort.Player empowerment, indeed.So here we are in the post-trade deadline Association, pointing toward the home stretch of the regular season and digesting the betting impact of James Harden now joining forces with Joel Embiid and forming a Super Duo in Philadelphia -- plus figuring out if Ben Simmons can get his head on straight enough to actually play for Brooklyn along with two other stars who for various reasons rack up lots of their own DNPs.The Harden-Simmons swap has certainly been a huge boost for NBA media types, but has it affected the betting world all that much? Let’s take a look:Prior to the start of the season, oddsmakers operated under the assumption that Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving just had more talent than anyone else, and their Nets were installed as heavy +230 favorites to be left standing when the Larry O’Brien Trophy was handed out in June. Then things started to go sideways, Irving was a 50 percent Covid casualty (playing only road games), Durant was hurt and for the second time in 13 months, Harden pouted his way into the trade. Two weeks before the Simmons trade, Brooklyn’s odds moved to +350.With everything that could go wrong actually going wrong, the Nets embarked on a losing streak that by the end of this past week had reached 11. Oddsmakers took notice of it all and made new-look Brooklyn a more attractive +450 to win it all.Anyone laying cash on the Nets at this point must believe that at least two of three things must happen:1.      Durant’s ailing left knee is healed and he is a reasonable facsimile of vintage Durant come playoff time.2.      The city of New York eases Covid's rules and allows Irving to be a full-time player.3.      Simmons gets over whatever is bothering him (or was faking it to force a trade) and blends in.All this assumes that Brooklyn will even qualify for the playoffs. Heading into this week’s action the Nets (21-33-2 ATS this season, BTW) were in 8th place and staring down the barrel of a play-in berth.Things are somewhat rosier in Philadelphia, where fans figure they got the better of the deal by bringing on an offensive force in Harden to pair with Embiid at the cost of a PITA who wasn’t playing for them anyway.The Sixers opened play this season at +1800, a number that made sense considering that one of their two All-Stars was refusing to even show up after botching the playoffs last spring. But Embiid avoided major injuries, not having Simmons has freed others to step up, and by late January the odds had been adjusted to +1000. With Harden on board and everyone feeling the pressure to at least win the East, Philly stands at +700.And there will be pressure. Tons of it, mostly on the shoulders of coach Doc Rivers. Philly has gone all-in,  knowing that it couldn't waste another year of Embiid’s prime and had to make life easier on the oft-injured center in what could be an MVP season. If Harden + Embiid doesn’t equal at least an Eastern Conference title, their franchise that was built on tanking will have to reassess its approach. Again.In the West, the trade-deadline silence from the Lakers camp was deafening. Devoid of available No. 1 draft picks to deal and with a roster filled with unproductive veterans hoping that LeBron James’s coattails with getting them a ring, LA was hamstrung despite being desperate for a roster upgrade.The Lakers had opened the season at +425 and the favorite to win the West, then melted to +1800 by late January amid injuries, poor play and the realization that the Russell Westbook acquisition had turned to dust. The neutered (a whopping +3000) Lakers are now 5 games under .500, in play-in territory themselves, and reduced to hoping that when (if) the post-season arrives, LeBron can somehow intimidate opponents as he once did.Strange times indeed in an NBA which seems to somehow have been turned on its head.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/14/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 14, 2022

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB. Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Washington plays Detroit at 7:10 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with the total set at 218 (all odds from DraftKings). Two games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Sacramento is at Brooklyn as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.5. New York hosts Oklahoma City as an 8-point favorite with a total of 206. Three more NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago is at home against San Antonio as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 233.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Portland as a 15-point favorite with a total of 232. Toronto travels to New Orleans as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 221.5. Two NBA games begin at 9:10 PM ET. Denver plays at home against Orlando as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 225. Utah hosts Houston as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. Golden State visits Los Angeles to play the Clippers as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 222.5. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Minnesota is at home against Detroit at 8:05 PM ET as a -230 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games drop the puck at 9:05 PM ET. Toronto travels to Seattle as a -220 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Winnipeg plays at home against Chicago as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Edmonton is at San Jose at 10:35 PM ET as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The Monday college basketball card includes nine games on national television. St. Bonaventure hosts Saint Louis on the CBS Sports Network at 5 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Four more televised games start at 7 PM ET. Kansas State is at home against West Virginia on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 133.5. Coppin State plays at home against North Carolina-Central on ESPNU. Bucknell is at Lehigh on the CBS Sports Network. Virginia Tech hosts Virginia in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Hokies won their fifth straight game with their 71-59 victory against Syracuse as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. They improved their record to 15-10 with the win. The Cavaliers are on a four-game winning streak after their 63-53 victory against Georgia Tech as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday. Virginia has a 16-9 record. Virginia Tech is a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 120.5. Four more NCAA-B games conclude the televised card at 9 PM ET. Creighton is at home against Georgetown on FS1 as an 11-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Davidson visits Rhode Island on the CBS Sports Network as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 123.5. plays Oregon hosts Washington State on ESPNU as a 4-point favorite with a total of 134. Kansas hosts Oklahoma State in the nightcap on ESPN at 9 PM ET. The Jayhawks won their third game in their last four with a 71-69 win against Oklahoma as a 10.5-point favorite on Saturday. They have a 20-4 record. The Cowboys won their second game in their last three with an 81-58 victory against West Virginia as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Oklahoma State evened their record at 12-12. Kansas is an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, EPL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/13/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 13, 2022

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Super Bowl 56 in the National Football League kicks off at 6:30 PM ET on NBC between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams. The Bengals reached the big game with their 27-24 upset victory at Kansas City as a 7-point underdog in the AFC championship game two weeks ago. The Rams beat San Francisco, 20-17, as a 3.5-point favorite in the NFC championship game. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California is the site of the game. Los Angeles is a 4-point favorite with the total set at 48.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Boston hosts Atlanta on ABC at 2:10 PM ET. The Celtics won their seventh straight game with their 108-102 victory against Denver as a 6-point favorite on Friday. They raised their record to 32-25 with the win. The Hawks lost their third game in their last four with their 136-121 upset loss to San Antonio as a 9-point favorite on Friday. Atlanta’s record dropped to 26-29 with the setback. Boston is a 6-point favorite. Minnesota visits Indiana at 3:10 PM ET. The Timberwolves had their five-game winning streak end in a 134-122 upset loss at Chicago as a 3-point underdog on Friday. Their record fell to 29-27. The Pacers are on a five-game losing streak after their 120-113 loss to Cleveland as a 6-point underdog on Friday. Indiana has a 19-38 record. Minnesota is a 6-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two games drop the puck at 12:35 PM ET. Buffalo travels to Montreal as a -115 money line road favorite with the total set at 6. Washington plays at home against Ottawa as a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Pittsburgh is at New Jersey at 1:35 PM ET as a -220 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Colorado plays at Dallas at 2:05 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.The Sunday college basketball card has six games on national television. Connecticut visits St. John’s on Fox at noon ET. The Huskies lost their third game in their last four after their 74-68 loss at Xavier as a 1-point underdog on Thursday. Their record fell to 16-7 on the season. The Red Storm had their two-game winning streak end in a 75-69 loss to Villanova as a 3.5-point underdog last Tuesday. St. John’s has a 13-10 record. UConn is a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Purdue hosts Maryland on CBS at 1 PM ET. The Boilermakers’ six-game winning streak ended in an 82-56 upset loss at Michigan as a 3.5-point favorite on Thursday. Their record dropped to 21-4. The Terrapins lost their second straight game in a 110-87 loss to Iowa as a 3.5-point underdog on Thursday. Maryland has an 11-13 record. Purdue is a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 148.Iowa plays at home against Nebraska on FS1 at 2 PM ET. The Hawkeyes are on a two-game winning streak after their 110-87 victory at Maryland as a 3.5-point favorite on Thursday. They improved their record to 16-7 with the win. The Cornhuskers ended a ten-game losing streak with a 78-65 upset win against Minnesota as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday. Nebraska now has a 7-17 record. Iowa is a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 158.UAB travels to Old Dominion on ESPNU at 2 PM ET. The Blazers won their sixth game in their last seven with their 84-65 victory against Southern Mississippi as a 23-point favorite on Thursday. They raised their record to 19-5 with the victory. The Monarchs are on a three-game losing streak after their 63-48 loss at Middle Tennessee as a 5.5-point underdog on Thursday. Old Dominion’s record fell to 9-15. UAB is a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 139. Boise State is at home against Colorado State on FS1 at 4 PM ET. The Broncos are on a two-game winning streak after their 69-63 victory against UNLV as an 8.5-point favorite on Friday. Their record is 19-5. The Rams won their third straight game in a 65-50 win against Fresno State as a 6-point favorite on Friday. Colorado State has a 19-3 record. Boise State is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 130.5. Loyola-Chicago hosts Northern Iowa on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET. The Ramblers come off a 68-61 upset loss at Bradley as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Their record dropped to 18-5. The Panthers won their fifth straight game with a 53-44 victory against Southern Illinois as a 6.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Northern Iowa improved its record to 14-9. Loyola-Chicago is an 8-point favorite with a total of 134.5. Matchweek 25 in the English Premier League continues with four matches on Peacock. Three matches begin at 9 AM ET. Liverpool visits Burnley as a -1.5 goal line road favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 3. Aston Villa plays at Newcastle United in a pick ‘em matchup with a total of 2.5 Tottenham plays at home against Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. West Ham United visits Leicester City at 11:30 AM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with a total of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/12/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 12, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Eleven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. New York visits Portland at 5:10 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Memphis plays at Charlotte as a 7.5-point road favorite with the total set at 235.5. Sacramento is at Washington as a 1.5-point road favorite at BetRivers. New Orleans plays at home against San Antonio as a 4-point favorite. Two games in the NBA begin at 7:40 PM ET. Philadelphia hosts Cleveland as a 4-point favorite. Toronto is at home against Denver as a 3-point favorite. Two more games start at 8:10 PM ET. Miami plays at home against Brooklyn as a 10-point favorite. Chicago hosts Oklahoma City as a 13-point favorite. Dallas is at home against the Los Angeles Clippers at 8:40 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite. Golden State plays at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on ABC at 8:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite. Phoenix hosts Orlando at 9:10 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. Detroit is at home against Philadelphia as a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more games drop the puck at 12:35 PM ET. Columbus plays at Montreal as a -145 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Boston is at Ottawa as a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two games in the NHL begin at 7:05 PM ET. Nashville plays at home against Winnipeg as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 6. Toronto travels to Vancouver as a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more NHL games start at 8:05 PM ET. Carolina plays at Minnesota as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 6. St. Louis hosts Chicago as a -185 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Calgary is at home against the New York Islanders at 10:05 PM ET as a -170 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.The Saturday college basketball card has 30 games on national television. Three televised games tip-off the card at noon ET. Auburn hosts Texas A&M on ESPN as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Baylor plays at home against Texas on ESPN2 as a 6-point favorite with a total of 129.5. Creighton visits Georgetown on FS1 as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Two more televised NCAAB games start at 1 PM ET. Kansas is at home against Oklahoma on CBS as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Villanova hosts Seton Hall on Fox as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Navy plays at Army on the CBS Sports Network at 1:30 PM ET as a 3.5-point road favorite at William Hill with a total of 129.Four more televised NCAAB games start at 2 PM ET. Wisconsin plays at home against Rutgers on FS1 as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132. North Carolina is at home against Florida State on ESPN as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Oklahoma State hosts West Virginia on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134.5. Davidson is at Rhode Island on ESPNU as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 132.5. At 3:30 PM ET, two more games begin in college basketball. Houston plays at home against Memphis on ABC as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Michigan State is at home against Indiana on Fox as a 4-point favorite with a total of 134.5. VMI hosts The Citadel on the CBS Sports Network at 3:35 PM ET as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 161.5. Three televised games in NCAA-B tip-off at 4 PM ET. Kentucky plays at home against Florida on ESPN as a 10-point favorite with a total of 140. Virginia is at home against Georgia Tech on ESPN2 as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 123.5. Iowa State hosts Kansas State on ESPNU as a 5-point favorite with a total of 128. Marquette plays at Butler on FS1 at 5:30 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 131.5. Three televised NCAAB games start at 6 PM ET. SMU travels to East Carolina on ESPNU as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 143. Virginia Tech plays at home against Syracuse on ESPN2 as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 145. Michigan hosts Ohio State on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 141. Providence is at home against DePaul on FS1 as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135. Three more NCAAB games tip-off at 8 PM ET. Washington State plays at home against South Florida on ESPNU as a 14-point favorite with a total of 124. LSU hosts Mississippi State on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134. San Diego State is at home against the Air Force on the CBS Sports Network as an 18-point favorite with a total of 115.5. Four games in college basketball are on national television at 10 PM ET. Gonzaga plays at home against Saint Mary’s on ESPN2 as a 16-point favorite with an over/under of 148. Washington State is at home against Arizona State on ESPNU as a 12-point favorite with a total of 130. BYU visits Pepperdine on the CBS Sports Network as a 13-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. UCLA plays at USC on ESPN as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 138. Hawaii hosts Cal-State Fullerton on ESPN2 at midnight ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 135. Matchweek 25 in the English Premier League kicks off with five matches. Manchester United hosts Southampton on Peacock at 7:30 AM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Three more matches start on Peacock at 10 AM ET. Crystal Palace travels to Brentford in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2. Everton plays at home against Leads United as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. Brighton and Hove Albion visit Watford as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2. Manchester City plays at Norwich City on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -2 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/11/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 11, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Charlotte plays at Detroit as a 6.5-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Philadelphia is at home against Oklahoma City as a 12-point favorite. Cleveland visits Indiana as a 6-point road favorite at BetRivers. Two more games in the NBA start at 7:40 PM ET. Atlanta hosts San Antonio as an 8-point favorite. Boston plays at home against Denver as a 4.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Chicago is at home against Minnesota at 8:10 PM ET as a 4-point favorite at BetRivers. Utah hosts Orlando at 9:10 PM ET as a 12-point favorite at BetRivers.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Dallas is at home against Winnipeg at 8:35 PM ET as a -165 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5. Edmonton plays at home against the New York Islanders as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Tampa Bay travels to Arizona at 9:35 PM ET as a -310 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Anaheim hosts Seattle at 10:05 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Friday college basketball card has eight games on national television. Three of these games begin at 7 PM ET. Xavier hosts Connecticut on FS1. The Musketeers lost their fourth game in their last five in a 73-71 loss at Seton Hall as a 3-point underdog on Wednesday. Their record dropped to 16-7. The Huskies ended a two-game losing streak with an 80-72 win against Marquette as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. UConn improved their record to 16-6. Xavier is a 1-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Wright State visits Wisconsin-Milwaukee on ESPNU. The Raiders won their fourth straight game with their 79-62 victory against Green Bay as an 8-point favorite on Wednesday. They raised their record to 15-10. The Panthers are on a six-game losing streak after their 75-39 loss to Northern Kentucky as a 2.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Milwaukee’s record has fallen to 7-18. Wright State is an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 147.Akron is at home against Kent State on ESPN2. The Zips won their seventh game in their last eight with their 70-64 victory at Northern Illinois as an 8-point favorite on Tuesday. Their record is 15-6. The Golden Flashes are on a five-game winning streak after their 76-68 win against Bowling Green as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Kent State improved to 14-9 with the victory. Akron is a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 130.5. Three more NCAA-B games on national television tip-off at 9 PM ET. Utah State plays at home against Nevada on FS1. The Aggies had their five-game winning streak end in a 78-76 loss at Wyoming as a 1-point underdog on Tuesday. Their record dropped to 15-10. The Wolf Pack are on a six-game losing streak after their 82-72 loss to Colorado State as a 6-point underdog on Tuesday. Nevada’s record has fallen to 9-13. Utah State is an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.Iona travels to Siena on ESPNU. The Gaels had their eight-game winning streak end in an 80-71 loss at Marquette as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. They have a 19-4 record. The Saints won their fourth game in their last five with their 62-56 upset victory at Fairfield as a 5.5-point underdog on Sunday. Siena improved their record to 10-9. Iona is an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Saint Louis hosts St. Bonaventure on ESPN2. The Billikens are on a six-game winning streak after their 75-57 victory at LaSalle as a 7.5-point favorite on Tuesday. They raised their record to 17-6. The Bonnies ended a two-game losing streak with a 76-51 win against Fordham as a 12.5-point favorite on Tuesday. St. Bonaventure has a 13-7 record. Saint Louis is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.Colorado State plays at home against Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network at 9:30 PM ET. The Rams won their second-straight game with an 82-72 victory at Nevada as a 6-point favorite on Tuesday. They improved to 18-3 with the win. The Bulldogs had their two-game winning streak end in a 61-59 upset loss to Wyoming as a 4-point favorite on Sunday. Fresno State has an 18-7 record. Colorado State is a 6-point favorite with a total of 129. Boise State is at home against UNLV on FS1 at 11 PM ET. The Broncos come off a 76-60 victory against San Jose State as a 22-point favorite on Saturday. They have an 18-5 record. The Rebels won their third game in their last four games after their 78-44 win against Air Force as a 10.5-point favorite on Tuesday. UNLV improved to 14-11 win the victory. Boise State is an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 130.5.

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