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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CBB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/29/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 29, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CBB, and EPL action.The college football bowl season continues with three games on ESPN. The Fenway Bowl featuring Virginia and SMU got canceled because of a COVID outbreak with the Cavaliers. Maryland plays Virginia Tech at 2:15 PM ET in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx in New York. The Terrapins ended a three-game losing streak with a 40-16 upset win at Rutgers as a 2-point underdog on November 27th. They raised their record to 6-6 with the victory. The Hokies won their second game in their last three with a 27-24 upset victory at Virginia as a 7-point underdog on November 27th. Virginia Tech improved their record to 6-6. Maryland is a 3.5-point favorite, with the total set at 54.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Clemson faces Iowa State at 5:45 PM ET in the Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Tigers are on a five-game winning streak after their 30-0 victory at South Carolina as an 11.5-point favorite on November 27th. They ended the regular season with a 9-3 record. The Cyclones ended a two-game losing streak with a 48-14 victory against TCU as a 16-point favorite on November 26th. Iowa State has a 7-5 record. Clemson is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44. Oklahoma battles Oregon at 9:15 PM ET. The Sooners lost their second game in their last three with a 37-33 loss to Oklahoma State as a 4-point underdog on November 27th. Their record dropped to 10-2 with the setback. The Ducks lost their second game in their last three with a 38-10 loss in the Pac-12 championship game to Utah as a 3-point underdog on December 3rd. Oregon’s record fell to 10-3 with the loss. Oklahoma is a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 60.Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. New York travels to Detroit as a 6-point road favorite. Indiana plays at home against Charlotte as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. Boston hosts the Los Angeles Clippers as a 5.5-point favorite. Two more games start at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago is at home against Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite. Memphis plays at home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 3.5-point favorite. San Antonio plays at home against Miami at 8:40 PM ET as a 3-point favorite. Phoenix hosts Oklahoma City at 9:10 PM ET as a 15-point favorite with a total of 216.5. Utah travels to Portland at 10:10 PM ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 228.5. Dallas is at Sacramento at 10:40 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Three games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. New Jersey travels to Buffalo as a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Florida plays at home against the New York Rangers as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Washington is at home against Nashville as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. St. Louis hosts Edmonton at 8:38 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Seattle plays at home against Philadelphia at 10:08 PM ET as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6. Anaheim is at home against Vancouver at 10:38 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Six games are on national television in college basketball. Butler hosts DePaul on FS1 at 5 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 131. Two games begin at 7 PM ET. Auburn is at home against LSU on ESPN2 as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 140. Providence plays at home against Seton Hall on FS1 as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Two more games in NCAAB tip off at 9 PM ET. Alabama is at home against Tennessee as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Miami (FL) hosts North Carolina State on ESPNU as a 3-point favorite with a total of 145. Washington State plays at home against Washington on ESPNU at 11 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Matchweek 20 in the English Premier League continues with two matches. Chelsea hosts Brighton and Hove Albion on Peacock at 2:30 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City visits Brentford on the NBC Sports Network at 3:15 PM ET as a -2 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CBB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/28/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 28, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CBB, and EPL action.The college football bowl season continues with five games. Auburn plays Houston on ESPN at noon ET in the Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The Tigers are on a four-game losing streak after losing to Alabama, 24-22, in overtime as a 20.5-point underdog on November 27th. Their record has dropped to 6-6. The Cougars were on an 11-game winning streak before losing to Cincinnati, 35-20, in the American Athletic Conference championship game as a 10.5-point underdog on December 4th. Houston has an 11-2 record. Auburn is a 2-point favorite, with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Air Force battles Louisville on ESPN at 3:15 PM ET in the First Responder Bowl at Gerald Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Falcons are on a three-game winning streak after their 48-14 victory against UNLV as an 18-point favorite on November 26th. They improved their record to 9-3 with the win. The Cardinals had their two-game winning streak end with their 52-21 upset loss to Kentucky as a 3-point favorite on November 27th. Louisville’s record fell to 6-6 with the setback. This bowl game is a pick ‘em with an over/under of 54.5. Mississippi State goes against Texas Tech on ESPN at 6:45 PM ET in the Liberty Bowl at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The Bulldogs had their two-game winning streak end with a 31-21 upset loss to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl as a 2.5-point favorite on November 25th. Their record dropped to 7-5 with the loss. The Red Raiders lost their second-straight game in a 27-24 loss at Baylor as a 14-point underdog on November 27th. Texas Tech’s record fell to 6-6. Mississippi State is a 10-point favorite with a total of 58.5. North Carolina State faces UCLA on Fox at 8 PM ET on the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park in San Diego, California. The Wolfpack are on a two-game winning streak after their 34-30 victory against North Carolina as a 5.5-point favorite on November 26th. Their record has risen to 9-3. The Bruins are on a three-game winning streak with their 42-14 win against California as a 6-point favorite on November 27th. UCLA improved their record to 8-4. NC State is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 60. Minnesota plays West Virginia on ESPN at 10:15 PM ET in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The Golden Gophers are on a two-game winning streak after upsetting Wisconsin, 23-13, as a 7-point underdog on November 27th. They raised their record to 8-4 with the victory. The Mountaineers won their second-straight game with a 34-28 victory at Kansas as a 15.5-point favorite on November 27th. West Virginia has a 5-6 record. Minnesota is a 5-point favorite with a total of 45. Eight games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Milwaukee visits Orlando at 7:10 PM ET as a 12.5-point road favorite. Two more games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Miami hosts Washington as a 6-point favorite. Philadelphia plays at Toronto as a 6.5-point road favorite. Three NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Lakers travel to Houston as a 4.5-point road favorite. New York is at Minnesota as a 4.5-point road favorite. Cleveland plays at New Orleans as a 4-point road favorite. Two more NBA games conclude the card at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State is at home against Denver as a 6-point favorite. Sacramento plays at home against Oklahoma City as a 6-point favorite.The National Hockey League resumes its season with three games on its slate. Tampa Bay hosts Montreal at 7:08 PM ET as a -265 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The final two NHL games begin at 10:38 PM ET. Vegas visits Los Angeles as a -135 money line road favorite with a total of 6. San Jose is at home against Arizona as a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Columbus/Chicago game got postponed because of COVID issues. Nineteen games are on the college basketball schedule featuring Division I teams. None of the games are on national television. Matchweek 20 in the English Premier League begins with four matches. Three games start at 10 AM ET. Crystal Palace plays at home against Norwich City on Peacock as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Tottenham visits Southampton on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. West Ham United plays at Watford on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Liverpool travels to Leicester City on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET as a -1.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. 

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NCAA Basketball Top 25: Overrated and Underrated

by Power Sports

Monday, Dec 27, 2021

Here’s my monthly look at the NCAAB Top 25 and who’s overrated, underrated and should be ranked (but isn’t).Overrated#7 USC (12-0)#8 Iowa State (12-0)#20 Colorado State (10-0)Look. I understand that if a team is still unbeaten in late December, they will make their way into the Top 25. But none of these three are as good as their respective rankings. At least USC can say they deserve to be ranked. Iowa State and Colorado State are not even Top 35 teams in my eyes. I will give Iowa State credit for being a top 7 team in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. But they are 135th in offensive efficiency. On New Year’s Day, the Cyclones face #1 Baylor, who is also undefeated. Expect to have to lay a large number if you want to play the favorite.Colorado State, who had its closest call (won by three) in its most recent game, is scheduled to host Air Force on January 4th. Can’t see the Rams losing that one. At Boise State three days later may be the first loss. USC has already postponed a Jan 2 date with Arizona where the Trojans would have been expected to lose.  Underrated#16 LSU (12-0) Ha. The fifth remaining undefeated team is most definitely underrated. I’d have the Tigers in the Top 10. We’ll see if I’m right as their next two games are against #11 Auburn and #18 Kentucky. If LSU can make it through unscathed, then they play #14 Tennessee. So don’t expect them to still be undefeated by the second week of January, but the Tigers should win two of those three games.#9 Arizona#12 HoustonI think these are Top 5 teams. BPI (ESPN) has Houston #1! Should Be RankedIllinoisHow are the Fighting Illini not ranked? They were a #1 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. They’ve played only one bad game this season. Last week, they absolutely destroyed Missouri (by 25) in the Braggin’ Rights Game. Michigan The Wolverines already have four losses, but they are still Top 20 in my power rankings and should have a strong January run, provided they get all the games in. I think these two unranked Big 10 sides are every bit as strong as #10 Michigan State is. 

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Cleveland Cavaliers: History in the Making?

by Al McMordie

Monday, Dec 27, 2021

On December 10, the Cleveland Cavaliers were a 2-point road favorite against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and were seeking their 10th straight point spread victory.  They got it, with a 123-106 win, and moved their season record (at that time) to 15-12 SU, and 21-6 ATS.  Immediately after the game, I received an email from a client, who wondered, 'Did I know that Cleveland was the hottest team in the league?'....with the implication that we shouldn't be going against such a team.  The answer to that question was (of course) "yes," as I was more aware than he ever could know about just how historically-well Cleveland was playing.Cleveland's game vs. the T-Wolves was its 27th game of the season.  And going into that game, it had covered the point spread by an average of 7.59 ppg. To put that extreme success into perspective, consider that never in the past 32 seasons (which is as far back as my database goes) had a team covered the spread by at least 6.76 ppg at Game 27 forward!  The second-best was the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, who were 23-3 SU and 19-7 ATS, and covered the spread by 6.75 ppg through their first 26 games of that season.The Celtics were a special team, and went on to win that season's NBA championship.  But they also leveled out (somewhat), with respect to the point spread, as they went 43-13 SU and 34-21-1 ATS, and covered the spread by "just" 2.09 ppg over their last 56 regular season games.  For the season, Boston finished 53-28-1 ATS, with a season point spread differential of +3.57.With that history as a backdrop, I wrote on December 10 that, "[I]t's safe to say that the Cavs will come back down to Earth. If, for no other reason than that the oddsmakers will (and already have) made adjustments to their number."  But that was seven games ago.  And all Cleveland has done since then is go into overdrive, with a 6-1 SU/ATS record, and a +13.62 point spread differential!  The Cavaliers just blew out Toronto, 144-99, as a 9-point home favorite, for not only their highest-scoring, and biggest win of the season, but also their largest (36) point spread differential.  Prior to that game, Cleveland's biggest cover was by 29 points, when it upset Miami, 111-85, on December 1, as a 3-point road underdog.So, the Cavaliers are clearly "history in the making."  Through 33 games, they are 20-13 SU, 26-7 ATS (.787), and have covered the point spread by an average of 9.28 ppg.  That 2007-08 Celtics team, which went 53-28-1 ATS (.654), holds the record for the best point spread performance for an 82-game regular season, while the 2009-10 Milwaukee Bucks rank second, at 52-28-2 ATS (.650).  Boston's +3.57 point spread differential also ranks first for an 82-game season, with the 2004-05 Chicago Bulls coming in second, at +3.25.  Will J.B. Bickerstaff's young Cavaliers keep it up?  And can they do what the 2007-08 Celtics did, and go on to win an NBA Championship?  Certainly, they're an odds-on favorite to end the season with the best point spread differential on record in the NBA since 1990.  After all, if they have a +0.00 spread differential over their final 49 games, they will still finish with a season mark of +3.73, and top Boston's +3.57.  But they're unlikely to better the Celtics' 53-28-1 ATS record or win the NBA title.  But, after that 45-point shellacking of the Raptors, I sure wouldn't put it past them.Good luck, as always...Al McMordie

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December Check-In: Europe's Big Four

by Power Sports

Monday, Dec 27, 2021

My monthly look at the four major European football (soccer) leagues focuses on who I’m buying and who I’m selling. Premier LeagueAs stated last month, the big mystery in the EPL is who’s going to finish fourth. Arsenal has moved past West Ham and is six points clear of fifth. But that’s misleading as the Gunners have played 19 matches. Tottenham (5th) has played just 16,  West Ham (6th) has played 18 and Manchester United has played (17). So that lead Arsenal currently enjoys could shrink in a hurry. A key difference between now and last month is that there are now seven sides with positive YTD goal differentials. There were only four at the end of November. Crystal Palace (12th) and Brentford (13th) are actually ahead of both Tottenham and Man U on expected points, which means those sides have been unlucky and you should probably be looking to play them. One side I’m not buying is Aston Villa, who has the fifth lowest expected point total in the league. La Liga Real Madrid and Sevilla continue to be the most consistent sides in La Liga and will easily finish in the top four. As of this writing, Real Madrid is starting to “run away” with things a bit as they have an eight point lead on the field. But Los Blancos are only third on expected points (xPts), behind last year’s champions Atletico Madrid and, surprisingly, Barcelona. I don’t think Ateltico will catch Real, but they should finish top four. I’ve previously stated that it would be a mistake to write off Barca and though they are still in seventh, they are just two points adrift of the top four and it wouldn’t at all shock if they finished in the Champions League places. A big change from last month is how much Real Sociedad has fallen off. I can’t see either Real Betis or newly promoted Rayo Vallecano remaining in the top four, so they look like sides to fade early in 2022. Athletic Bilbao is a side to “buy low” on, as they have the fourth highest number of xPts in the league. Same for Villarreal, who finished seventh last year and is now up to ninth after a disappointing start. They are fifth on xPts. Looking down at the relegation battle, I remain extremely curious if winless Levante, who sits at the foot of the table, is capable of making a run. They are actually 11th on xPts! But they’ve dug themselves a huge hole. Cadiz, Elche and Granada have the three lowest xPts totals right now, which was also the case at the end of last season!BundesligaAs I’ve said before, pencil Bayern Munich in for another title. Borussia Dortmund should finish top four, although the Erling Haaland transfer talk looms large. I remain unsold on Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen. The respective goal differentials of those two sides say they are both top four worthy, but they are lower on xPts. The candidates to move up and replace them are RB Leipzig (currently 10th), Union Berlin (7th) and Mainz (9th). The fact that Leipzig has yet to win a single away match is stunning. Their next one is 1/15 at Stuttgart, a bottom of the table side. I’m not sold on Eintracht Frankfurt, who was a top five finisher last season. Nor am I sold on Wolfsburg, who has slipped dramatically. Obviously, Greuther Furth will be relegated and Arminia Bielefeld is likely to suffer the same fate. That’s unchanged from last month. The battle for the relegation playoff will be an interesting one as Hertha and/or Bochum could fall. I don’t see Stuttgart or Augsburg moving up much. Serie A There’s a clear top eight, a clear bottom five and seven sides in the middle here in the Italian top flight. Of the current top four, AC Milan seems the most fortunate. Internazionale is a deserved table leader while Napoli, despite recent struggles, should also be headed to the Champions League. Juventus, like Barcelona in La Liga, was the long-time power written off for dead. But “The Old Lady” is already back up to fifth in the table and is third on xPts. Atalanta and Roma are both to be respected. Fiorentina, after zero draws in the first 17 league matches, has shared the points each of their last two times out. Look for Torino and Hellas Verona to pass Empoli and Bologna to round out the top half of the table. 

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Ness Notes (CBB): Conference Games Take "Center Stage!"

by Larry Ness

Monday, Dec 27, 2021

The 2021-22 NCAAB season opened back on November 9 and now gets set to move into the 2022 part of its season. Selection Sunday isn't until March 13, 2022, when 32 automatic bids will be handed out, along with 36 "at large" ones. The Final 4 is set for Caesars Superdome (New Orleans) for April 2 and 4. That's a L-O-N-G way off but let me take 'a peek' at what's happened so far, as conference play is about to take "center stage!" The AP's preseason No. 1 team was Gonzaga, to no one's surprise. Gonzaga head coach Mark Few has led Gonzaga to 21 straight NCAA berths in his 22 years (2020 tourney was canceled), doing everything BUT win a national championship. However, he's led the Bulldogs into the title game TWICE in the last four seasons. Last year's loss was a 'killer,' as Gonzaga was No. 1 wire-to-wire and at 31-0, was looking to match Bob Knight's 1975-76 team, which was the last team to go unbeaten (32-0) and win the title. However, 73 years after it last played for a national title, Baylor 'jumped all over' the Bulldogs early in the game and never looked back in an 86-70 victory. It was Baylor's first national title and extinguished Gonzaga’s ambitions for end-to-end perfection.Gonzaga stayed No. 1 for the first three polls but when it lost 84-81 in Las Vegas to Duke on Nov 26, it dropped to No. 3 in the Nov 29th AP poll. "The Dookies," in Coach K's final season, jumped from No. 5 to No. 1. For Coach K, it was the 127th time in his career his Blue Devils had earned the No. 1 ranking (UCLA's John Wooden ranks 2nd with 134 No. 1 rankings). However, Duke's stay at No. 1 lasted just one week, as the Blue Devils lost on Nov 30th 81-76 at Ohio St in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. When the new AP poll came out on Dec 6, 8-0 Purdue found itself atop the AP poll for the first time in school history, getting all 61 votes. Somewhat 'quietly,' defending champ Baylor (also 8-0) moved to No. 2 in that poll, having opened at No. 8 in the preseason poll.Purdue's stay at No. 1 lasted just one week, as the Boilermakers lost 70-68 at Rutgers on Dec 9 as 13.5-point favorites. That meant there would be a new AP No. 1 when the next poll came out on Dec 13. Lo and behold, last season's national champs (Baylor), earned the No. 1 ranking with its 9-0 record and overall 15-game winning streak going back to last year's NCAA Tournament run. The Bears won their title last season without ever being ranked No. 1 and got all 61 votes. It marked the FOURTH consecutive week in which the AP featured a different No. 1 school. Recapping the progression, the No. 1 ranking went from Gonzaga, to Duke, to Purdue and then to Baylor.A combination of cancellations and the holidays made for a quiet past week in men's college hoops and the latest AP poll (Dec 27) reflected the light week. 11-0 Baylor remained No. 1 for the THIRD straight week (winning streak is up to 18 in a row), receiving all 61 first-place votes. The Bears had 60 first place votes a week ago but were a unanimous selection this week after Arizona's loss at Tennessee (Wildcats had received one first-place vote in the Dec 20th poll). Things have seemingly settled down (but for how long?), as the top-five remained the same from last week, with Duke, Purdue, Gonzaga and UCLA behind Baylor. In fact, no teams dropped out of this week's poll, meaning none climbed into the poll as well.Baylor is one of FIVE schools that remain unbeaten. The others are No. 7 USC (12-0), No. 8 Iowa St (12-0), No. 16 LSU (12-0) and No. 20 Colorado St (10-0). Colorado St is the least-known of the group, but the Rams were 20-8 last season (made the NIT's 'Final 4') and head coach Niko Medved, entering his fourth season in Fort Collins, returned all FIVE starters from last year's team. Colorado State moved up a spot to No. 20 this week, the program's highest ranking since reaching No. 19 in 1954. The Rams have been ranked for THREE straight weeks for the first time in school-history. However, the Rams have been on a COVID-19 pause since Dec 17. They are expected to return for a game against Air Force on Jan 4 (fingers crossed).The biggest surprise has to be Iowa St, as head coach T.J. Otzelberger was hired in March of 2021 at Iowa State to replace Steve Prohm, whose Cyclones went 2-22 last season, including 0-18 in Big 12 play. Otzelberger made a name for himself by leading South Dakota St to back-to-back NCAA bids in 2017 and 2018, allowing him to move to UNLV. Things didn't quite work out for coach and school, as the Rebels were just 29-30 in his two-year stay. However, Iowa St and Otzelberger have the James Hilton Coliseum 'rocking' again, going 10-0 at home.Let me NOT overlook 12-0 USC and 12-0 LSU. USC made an Elite-8 run last season, finishing 25-8. However, Evan Mobley left after his freshman season to become the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. Head coach Andy Enfield made a HUGE 'splash' in 2013 when the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles earned a No. 15 seed in the South Region of the NCAA tournament. They upset No. 2 seed Georgetown in the first round and No. 7 seed San Diego State in the second round, making them the first No. 15 seed to reach the "Sweet 16." Enfield is in his ninth season at USC and won 26 games back in the 2016-17 season and as noted, 25 games last season, However, this looks like the best team he's had in Los Angeles, as the Trojans are holding opponents to 60.9 PPG on 35.2% shooting (3rd-best in the nation). What's more, USC has held ALL 12 of its opponents to under 40% FG shooting, the first D-I team to do so in the first 12 games of a season in more than 15 years.LSU's Will Wade has had some controversy since arriving in Baton Rouge. Wade coached the 2018–19 team to the Southeastern Conference regular season championship but in March of 2019 he was indefinitely suspended amid charges of recruiting violations. LSU lifted that suspension on April 14, 2019. Wade's Tigers won 21 games in the 2019-20 season (cut short because of COVID) and 19 games last year, losing to Michigan in the second round of the Big Dance. He lost FOUR starters off that team but has LSU unbeaten through 12 games.In closing, I'll check in on the 11 teams ranked in the AP preseason top-25 but are not among the top-25 as of Dec 27th's poll. The 'worst offenders' are No. 6 Michigan (now 7-4), No. 12 Memphis (6-4), No. 13 Oregon (7-6), No. 20 Florida St (6-4), No. 21 Maryland (6-4) and No. 25 Virginia (7-5). The other five top-25 preseason teams not ranked at the present time are No. 11 Illinois (9-3), No. 16 Arkansas (10-2), No. 19 North Carolina (9-3), No. 23 St Bonaventure (8-3) and No. 24 UConn (10-3).Happy New year...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/27/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 27, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NBA, and EPL.Week 16 in the National Football League concludes with the Miami Dolphins plays in New Orleans against the Saints on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. The Dolphins won their sixth straight game with a 31-29 victory against the New York Jets as a 10.5-point favorite on Sunday. They evened their record at 7-7 with the win. The Saints won their second straight game with a 9-0 upset victory as an 11.5-point underdog at Tampa Bay last Sunday night. New Orleans improved their record to 7-7 with the win. Miami is a 3-point road favorite with the total set at 37 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The college football bowl season continues with one game. The previously scheduled Military Bowl between East Carolina and Boston College at 2:30 PM ET got canceled due to a COVID outbreak in the Eagles program.Western Michigan plays Nevada on ESPN at 11 AM ET in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. The Broncos won two of their final three games in the regular season with a 42-21 victory at Northern Illinois as a 7-point favorite on November 23rd. They improved their record to 7-5 with the win. The Wolf Pack ended a two-game losing streak with their 52-10 victory against Colorado State as a 3-point favorite on November 27th. Nevada has an 8-4 record going into this bowl game. Western Michigan is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 56.Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Charlotte hosts Houston at 7:40 PM ET as a 6-point favorite. Chicago visits Atlanta at 7:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite. Boston plays at Minnesota at 8:10 PM ET as an 8-point road favorite. Utah travels to San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. Phoenix plays at home against Memphis at 9:10 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 218.5. Portland hosts Dallas at 10:10 PM ET as a 1-point favorite. Brooklyn is at Los Angeles to play the Clippers at 10:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League canceled the 14 games scheduled for Monday. The current plan is for the season to resume on Tuesday.Two games are on the schedule in college basketball (while only the Brown/Syracuse game has a point spread). Neither game is on national television.Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League concludes with Manchester United visiting Newcastle United on the USA Network at 3 PM ET. The Red Devils won their third match of their last four in the English Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Norwich City on December 11th in their most recent game before a COVID outbreak shutdown team operations. Man United is in 7th place in the EPL table with 27 points. The Magpies lost their third straight match in the English Premier League with their 4-0 loss to Manchester City on December 19th. Newcastle is in a tie for 19th place with 10 points. Manchester United is a -1 goal line favored with a total of 3.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/26/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 26, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, and EPL.Week 16 in the National Football League continues with 14 games. Eight games kick off at 1 PM ET. New England hosts Buffalo at 1 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all football odds from DraftKings). Philadelphia plays at home against the New York Giants as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 40.5. The Los Angeles Rams visit Minnesota as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 49. Tampa Bay travels to Carolina as a 9.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 43. The New York Jets are at home against Jacksonville as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Atlanta hosts Detroit as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 42.5. The Los Angeles Chargers play at Houston as a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 48. Cincinnati is at home against Baltimore as a 7-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Three more games start in the second-afternoon window. Seattle hosts Chicago at 4:05 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42. Kansas City is at home against Pittsburgh at 4:25 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 45.5. Denver visits Las Vegas at 4:25 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 40.5. Dallas plays at home against Washington for Sunday Night Football on NBC at 8:20 PM ET. The Cowboys are a 10-point favorite with a total of 47. Eight games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Miami is at home against Orlando as an 8.5-point favorite (all basketball odds from BetRivers). Three more NBA games begin at 6:10 PM ET. Philadelphia travels to Washington as a 3.5-point road favorite. Memphis plays at Sacramento as a 4.5-point road favorite. Toronto visits Cleveland.  Two more NBA games start at 7:10 PM ET. New Orleans is at Oklahoma City as a 1-point road favorite. San Antonio hosts Detroit as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 217.5. Chicago plays at home against Indiana at 8:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite. Denver visits Los Angeles to play the Clippers at 9:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite. Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League begins on Boxing Day with six matches. Four matches start at 10 AM ET. Manchester City hosts Leicester City on Peacock as a -2 goal favorite with a total of 3.5 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Arsenal visits Norwich City on Peacock as a -1 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham is at home against Crystal Palace on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5 (indications are this match will be postponed because of COVID). West Ham United plays at home against Southampton on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea travels to Aston Villa on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion host Brentford on the NBC Sports Network at 3 PM ET as a 0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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MAC Dogs Don't Bite

by ASA, Inc.

Friday, Dec 24, 2021

With College Football Bowl Season in full swing, it gives us games on every day of the week to gamble on. Even if you are not very familiar with the teams or players from some of the smaller schools, it still provides entertainment as well as money to be won. One conference in particular has been beaten up consistently when the calendar hits December. The MAC has proved to be a solid conference to fade over the past years. The MAC conference boasts a lifetime record of 45-77 (37%) in its bowl games. A shockingly low win percentage like that puts the MAC in the conversation of one of the worst conferences in FBS college football. It is hard to say if either they are outmatched by other FBS schools, or the MAC just plays terrible football during bowl season. Since 2004, the MAC has only had a winning record as a conference during bowl season two times.  The last 59 bowl games that MAC teams have been underdogs have gone 20-37-2 against the spread. Additionally, they are 9-50 straight up in those games. This really shows how much MAC teams have struggled and yet the odds makers don’t seem to give MAC teams enough points year after year. 2021 has been no different as the conference is already 1-4 in bowl games and 2-3 ATS.  Eight of the 12 teams in the conference qualified for bowl games, with 3 yet to play over the holidays. However, the more bowl games they play, the more they seem to lose. Northern Illinois won the conference but it was a very close season across the board. Looking at the last 3 MAC bowls in the coming days, it is risky to think any will cover. Western Michigan (-6.5) is the only team favored of the 3, but history is not on their side. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/25/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 24, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, and NCAAB.Week 16 in the National Football League continues with two games. Green Bay hosts Cleveland on Fox and the NFL Network at 4:30 PM ET. The Packers are on a three-game winning streak after their 31-30 victory at Baltimore as a 9.5-point favorite last Sunday. They improved their record to 11-3 with the win. The Browns lost their second game in their last three with a 16-14 loss defeat to Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog on Monday. Cleveland’s record has fallen to 7-7. Green Bay is a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 47 (all odds from DraftKings). Arizona plays at home against Indianapolis on the NFL Network at 8:15 PM ET. The Cardinals lost their second-straight game with a 30-12 upset loss at Detroit as a 13-point underdog on Sunday. Their record dropped to 10-4 with the loss. The Colts won their fifth game in their last six with their 27-17 victory against New England as a 1-point favorite last Saturday. Indianapolis improved their record to 8-6. Arizona is a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. The college football bowl season continues with Georgia State playing Ball State on ESPN at 2:30 PM ET in the Camellia Bowl at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The Panthers are on a three-game winning streak after ending their regular season with a 37-10 victory against Troy as a 6.5-point favorite on November 27th. They improved their record to 7-5 win the win. The Cardinals ended a two-game losing streak with a 20-3 victory against Buffalo as a 6-point favorite on November 23rd. Georgia State is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 51. The traditional Christmas Day card in the National Basketball Association features five games. New York is at home against Atlanta on ESPN 12:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 210. Milwaukee hosts Boston on ABC at 2:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 221. Phoenix plays at home against Golden State on ABC at 5:10 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 215.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against Brooklyn on ABC and ESPN at 8:10 PM ET laying 1.5-points as the favorite with a total of 225.5. Utah is at home against Dallas on ESPN at 10:40 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 214. The college basketball card has three games on the final day of the Diamond Head Classic at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Wyoming plays South Florida on ESPNU at 1:30 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 122. BYU goes against Liberty on ESPN2 at 6:30 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. The Northern Iowa/Hawaii consolation contest got canceled because of the Rainbow Warriors' inability to field enough players due to COVID and injuries.The championship game has Stanford battling Vanderbilt on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Cardinal reached the finals with a 79-76 victory against Liberty as a 2-point favorite on Thursday. The Commodores joined them in the finals with their 69-67 upset win at BYU as a 5-point underdog on Thursday. Vanderbilt is a 2-point favorite with a total of 139.5.

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NFL Week 16 Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Thursday, Dec 23, 2021

BEST GAME – Buffalo at New England (-2.5)Buffalo 8-6 SU, 7-6-1 ATS, 7-7 O/UNew England 9-5 SU, 9-5 ATS, 6-8 O/UThe Patriots had hoped to close the Bills’ coffin in Week 15, but NE’s loss in Indy and Buffalo’s victory over Carolina tightened things up again in the AFC East and set up this division showdown in Foxboro. Miami (7-7 and with six straight wins) still has a puncher’s chance if things break right, but mostly likely the East belongs to the Pats again if they can take care of business on Sunday in the final week of play in calendar year 2021. The season has been full of surprises, no smaller than Bill Belichick actually APOLOGIZING to reporters for his dour non-responsive post-Indy press conference. What Belichick would love for Christmas is a half-decent performance from rookie QB Mac Jones, who was pantsed by the Colts. Buffalo, still bitter from losing to Jones and the Pats in the wind a few weeks ago, no doubt took note. The long-term Sunday forecast for Foxboro on Sunday is sun and light winds. Sorry, Bill.WORST GAME – Jacksonville at New York Jets (-2.5)Jacksonville 2-12 SU, 4-12 ATS, 3-11 O/UNew York 3-11 SU, 4-10 ATS, 8-6 O/UWith negative Urban Meyer stories seemingly every week this season, overall No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence has been able to pretty much escape scrutiny. Turns out Lawrence has taken more than his share of lumps as well. After a decent start Lawrence has struggled as the season has worn on, and last Sunday’s loss to the also-woeful Texans highlighted the regression – 210 yards passing and no touchdowns. In fact, he has just two TDs in his last six games, and his numbers are pretty much down across the board when compared to the first half of the season. If anyone needs the season to end (hopefully without serious injury), it’s Lawrence and the Jags. The Jets are giving a few in this one because the game is in East Rutherford, and the early bettors seem to like their chances of covering.BIGGEST SPREAD – Tampa Bay at Carolina (+10.5)Tampa Bay 10-4 SU, 7-7 ATS, 7-7 O/UCarolina 5-9 SU, 5-9 ATS, 7-7 O/UJob One for Tom Brady and the defending champs is to figure out what the offense is going to look like without wide receiver Chris Godwin, whose ACL tear has sidelined him for the rest of the season. Lots of his targets will no doubt now go to Antonio Brown, who is back from his latest suspension. But can Brown even be counted on going forward, and should the Bucs even go balls to the wall in the final three games to get the top seed in the NFC? Carolina is not likely to get much betting action despite being a double-digit home dog. Since their 3-0 start, the Panthers have won only twice, and have lost five straight home games.SMALLEST SPREAD – Denver at Las Vegas (-1)Denver 7-7 SU, 7-7 ATS, 3-11 O/ULas Vegas 7-7 SU, 5-9 ATS, 7-7 O/UThere are just too many tiebreaker hoops for the Broncos to jump through to get to the playoffs this season even though they are still technically in the hunt. A red zone fumble by QB Drew Lock last week in a loss to Cincinnati  just about nailed down the coffin. The Raiders, OTOH, stayed very much in the hunt thanks to their last-second field goal win over the Covid-ravaged Browns on Monday night. Yes, the delayed game does give the Raiders less prep time for the Broncos, but at least they are still in the playoff picture. Not much early money down yet, but what there is has been mostly on LV.LARGEST TOTAL – Indianapolis at Arizona (49.5)Indianapolis 8-6 SU, 9-5 ATS, 8-6 O/UArizona 10-4 SU, 9-5 ATS, 7-7 O/UEvery team should be able to take a week off, right? Well, last week against Detroit was Arizona’s, and you have the figure that the Cardinals playing at home in Week 16 will move heaven and earth to win this one. They still have a chance to catch Green Bay for the best record in the NFC, and the Colts may be primed for a letdown after their huge win over New England. Arizona figures to emphasize offense after getting shut down by the Lions, and the Cardinal defense will have its hands full with NFL leading rusher Jonathan Taylor. If you prefer to bet the side, bear in mind that the Cardinals have beaten a decent team at home only once this season (Oct. 3, Rams).SMALLEST TOTAL – Miami at New Orleans (38.5)Miami 7-7 SU, 7-6-1 ATS, 6-8 O/UNew Orleans 7-7 SU, 7-7 ATS, 6-8 O/UA rare total in the 30s in a season in which handicappers regularly set multiple totals in the 50s every week. Much of the number reflects Miami’s top-notch defense, which has fueled the Dolphins’ six-game winning streak. But don’t overlook New Orleans’s offensive problems, including ragged QB play from Taysom Hill.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/23/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 23, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, and NCAAB.Week 16 in the National Football League begins with San Francisco visiting Tennessee on the NFL Network at 8:20 PM ET. The 49ers won their fifth game in their last six with a 31-13 victory against Atlanta as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. They raised their record to 8-6 with the win. The Titans lost their third game in their last four with a 19-13 loss at Pittsburgh as a 1-point underdog last week. Tennessee’s record fell to 9-5 with the defeat. San Francisco is a 3-point road favorite, with the total set at 44.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The college football bowl season continues with two games, both on ESPN. Miami (Ohio) plays North Texas at 3:30 PM ET in the Frisco Football Classic at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The RedHawks had their two-game winning streak end with a 48-47 upset loss in overtime at Kent State as a 1-point favorite on November 27th. They ended their regular season with a 5-6 record. The Mean Green are on a five-game winning streak after a 45-23 upset win at UTSA as a 9.5-point underdog on November 27th. North Texas has a 6-6 record. Miami (Ohio) is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 55.Florida plays Central Florida at 7 PM ET in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Gators won their second game in their last three with a 24-21 win against Florida State as a 4-point favorite on November 27th. They improved their record to 6-6. The Knights won their fifth game in their last six with a 17-13 victory against South Florida on November 26th. Central Florida raised their record to 8-4 with the win. Florida is a 7-point favorite with a total of 55.5.Eleven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Indiana plays at home against Houston as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219. Philadelphia hosts Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite. New Orleans travels to Orlando as a 5-point road favorite. Two more games start at 7:40 PM ET. Miami is at home against Detroit as a 10-point favorite. Washington visits New York as a 1-point road favorite. Milwaukee plays at Dallas at 8:40 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite. Three NBA games begin at 9:10 PM ET. Denver hosts Charlotte as a 3-point favorite with a total of 229. Phoenix is at home against Oklahoma City as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 215. Utah plays at home against Minnesota as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 225. Golden State hosts Memphis at 10:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 217.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against San Antonio at 10:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5.Five games are on national television in college basketball. Liberty plays Stanford in a semifinals contest on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET in the Diamond Head Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Northern Iowa goes against Wyoming on ESPNU at 6:30 PM ET in a loser’s bracket game in the Diamond Head Classic. St. John’s hosts Butler on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. BYU faces Vanderbilt on ESPN2 at 10 PM ET in the second semifinals game in Diamond Head Classic. South Florida battles Hawaii on ESPN2 at 12:30 AM ET in a loser’s bracket match in the Diamond Head Classic.

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